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Army Veteran Drowns While Paddleboating In Chesapeake Bay

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ/AP) -- A veteran died in a drowning while paddleboating Wednesday in Annapolis.

According to Capital Sup Annapolis, 25-year-old Cody Iorns was out paddleboating in the Chesapeake Bay with a group and unexpectedly drowned.

Iorns, of Washington D.C., served in the U.S. Army and sources told WJZ that he was a double amputee after a motorcycle accident. He was a well-known paddleboater.

Cody Iorns
Credit: Mike Hugg Media
Cody Iorns
Credit: Mike Hugg Media

RELATED: Coast Guard Searching For Man Who Went Overboard In Chesapeake Bay

Capital Sup said in a post on their Instagram page,

To our Family, Friends, and fellow Paddlers,

It is with incredible shock and deep sadness that we inform you Cody Iorns passed away this evening. He went out for a downwind paddle with fellow Capital SUP paddlers and unexpectedly drowned. CPR was performed by the paddlers and emergency medical responders but we were unable to save his life. We are still processing how it happened. Please pray for Cody's family. We are at a loss for words. He was our brother. He was an inspiration to everyone on and off the water.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources will have an official press release sometime today. We wanted you to hear the news from us first. Please respect our privacy and give us some time to mourn the loss of our brother.

We love you, Cody. May you rest in peace.

Brian, Kevin, & Chris

To our Family, Friends, and fellow Paddlers, It is with incredible shock and deep sadness that we inform you @codyiorns passed away this evening. He went out for a downwind paddle with fellow Capital SUP paddlers and unexpectedly drowned. CPR was performed by the paddlers and emergency medical responders but we were unable to save his life. We are still processing how it happened. Please pray for Cody's family. We are at a loss for words. He was our brother. He was an inspiration to everyone on and off the water. Maryland Department of Natural Resources will have an official press release sometime today. We wanted you to hear the news from us first. Please respect our privacy and give us some time to mourn the loss of our brother. We love you, Cody. May you rest in peace. Brian, Kevin, & Chris

A post shared by Capital SUP™ Annapolis (@capitalsup) on

NRP Spokeswoman Candy Thomson said Iorns went out on the water around 6:30 p.m. with three other people. She says one person in the group saw him face-down in the water and the group attempted to rescue him. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Iorns had been profiled by media outlets including National Geographic, which reported he lost his arms in a motorcycle accident. He used prosthetic limbs while paddle boarding.

On Wednesday, officials also reported a near drowning of a 5-year-old child at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis and the Coast Guard continues to search Thursday for a man who went overboard in the Chesapeake Bay Wednesday.

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