A 22-year-old man from Markham, Ont., drowned while swimming in the Township of Whitewater Region on Friday evening, OPP say.

It happened just before 6:30 p.m. in the Ottawa River in Foresters Falls, about 120 kilometres northwest of Ottawa.

The man, a guest of OWL Rafting, was swimming when he went underwater, OPP said in a news release issued Monday.

He was found and pulled to shore, where CPR was started. Paramedics arrived and took him to hospital, but he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The victim has been identified as Charles "Chuck" Ozulumba. The coroner's office is investigating with help from Renfrew OPP.

Company never experienced a drowning

In 40 years of operation, the company has never experienced a drowning, said Dirk Van Wijk, who co-owns OWL Rafting which takes thousands of visitors rafting down the water each summer.

He said the man was visiting with a group of friends and had only recently arrived when he went swimming, went under the water and didn't resurface. The man's body was located within half an hour, he said.

Van Wijk said his family is deeply saddened about what happened and he has been in contact with the Ozulumba's family.

An autopsy examination has been scheduled. OPP said foul play is not suspected.