MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Authorities have identified an 18-year-old man from Lake Elmo who was the victim of an apparent drowning in the St. Croix River on Monday.

Alexander Cook was trying to cross the river from Wisconsin to Minnesota Monday afternoon. At about 4:57 p.m., the Hudson (Wis.) Police and Fire Departments responded to a possible drowning at the end of Dike Road in Lakefront Park.

When they arrived, they learned that Cook was trying to cross the river channel and got about 50 yards out into the river when he started to struggle in the water. Cook’s friends tried to help him, but he went under the water.

Divers from several area departments responded to the scene in an attempt to rescue Cook, but couldn’t find him due to river conditions. The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office took over a recovery operation with the help of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and found his body at about 11:44 p.m. Monday.