W.Va. Investigating Death Of Md. Man In 'Tough Mudder' Event

GLENGARY, W.Va. (AP) -- The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a 28-year-old Maryland man who had been competing in an endurance course in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle.

Sgt. Ted Snyder says Avishek Sengupta was found Saturday in water at the "Walk the Plank" obstacle of a "Tough Mudder" endurance event near Glengary. He died Sunday at a northern Virginia hospital.

The Virginia medical examiner's office in Manassas said an autopsy has been completed but a cause of death was not immediately available.

Snyder said while an investigation is continuing, his initial finding is that the death was accidental.

Sengupta was from Ellicott City, Md. His death was first reported by the Herald-Mail.

About 750,000 people have participated in Tough Mudder courses since the first event was held in 2010, and Sengupta was the first person to die, company spokeswoman Ashley Pinakiewicz told the newspaper.

The "Walk the Plank" obstacle required participants to jump from a 15-foot platform into cold water and swim out, according to the company's website. It was one of more than 20 obstacles along the course, which was built on 500 acres at Peacemaker National Training Center, a firearms training complex leased for the event.

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