Police find sailor’s body in Galway Lake

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marc Schultz

A state police dive team searches Galway Lake for the missing swimmer Monday morning.

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State police divers recovered the body of a 23-year-old Navy man Monday afternoon in Galway Lake, police said.

The man pulled from the small lake at 2:25 p.m. Monday was identified as Jacob C. Miller, 23. Miller is originally from Kansas and was currently living in Galway. He was assigned to the Navy’s nuclear training unit at the Kenneth A. Kesselring site in West Milton.

Miller had been missing since Sunday night in Galway Lake. The sailor went for a swim in the 40-degree water around 7 p.m. Sunday, according to a state police statement.

“Soon after entering the water he called out for help to his companions but they were unable to see him due to darkness,” a state police statement said.

An autopsy on Miller’s body will be done today and toxicology tests will be performed. On Monday night, police described the death as a presumed downing.

There is no indication of alcohol involvement, but the investigation is continuing, police said.

Police received a call at 7:20 p.m. Sunday that a swimmer had gone down in Galway Lake and did not resurface. His roommates at the house the sailors rented on the lake tried to reach him but were unsuccessful. They called the 911 emergency number for help.

Capt. Brian Fort of the Navy’s nuclear power training unit confirmed that the sailor was a student at the Kesselring site. “He went swimming by himself [Sunday] evening,” he said. “His roommates were aware he was swimming.”

They did not go out with him but were in or near the rental cottage on the lake. When Miller didn’t return, they went outside to look for him, Fort said. He said they couldn’t find him because it was too dark.

State police divers were assisted by the Galway Fire Department on Monday. On Sunday, dive teams from the South Glens Falls and Corinth fire companies assisted in the search along with the Providence Fire Company and Galway Fire Department volunteers.