A 12-year-old boy drowned Wednesday in the Lehigh River in East Penn Township.

At 6:12 p.m., the Carbon County Coroner’s Office was requested to respond to the area of the D&L Trail at mile marker 99 along the Lehigh River.

The child had already been removed from the water and was being transported to the Marvin Gardens trailhead in East Penn Township by the Lehighton Fire Department Dive Team.

He was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m. by Carbon County Chief Deputy Coroner Jason T. Smith.

The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission issued a release Thursday morning stating it is investigating a recreational boating incident that resulted in the fatality.

The agency said that at 5:30 p.m., a party of five boaters was traveling the river in an inflatable raft that was part of a larger group excursion with a guide, according to the Fish & Boat Commission.

The raft capsized, resulting in all occupants being ejected from the raft into the river. The child did not immediately resurface.

Search and rescue operations were conducted and the missing boy’s body was recovered.

All other occupants of the raft were recovered safely.

The incident remains under investigation.

An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday to determine the cause and manner of death. The examination will be conducted by Forensic Pathology Associates at the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office & Forensics Center in Allentown.

Smith said the name of the boy will not be released at this time as to allow time for the family to grieve this tragic loss.

Smith said additional agencies assisting with this investigation included the Carbon County Emergency Management Team, East Penn Township Fire Department, Lehighton Fire Department, Bowmanstown Fire Department, Palmerton Ambulance and Lehighton Ambulance.

Smith said further information will be released following the completion of the autopsy.