Whitehall Township police have launched an investigation into the July 23 drowning death of a Coplay man.

The body of Christian Mittermeier was pulled from the Lehigh River by the Northampton Fire Department Water Rescue unit after Whitehall and Northampton Fire Department personnel combed the river searching for a person reported in the water.

The Lehigh County Coroner's Office identified Mittermeier, 22, of the 1100 block of Oak Street. His body was retrieved from the river just north of the Saylor Cement Kilns, Coplay.

Police and fire department water rescue units were summoned at 9:07 a.m. by their respective county emergency centers after a woman called in the report.

Whitehall Fire Chief Robert Benner said a trained water rescue unit was dispatched immediately.

Northampton Police Chief Ron Morey said the reported incident sent emergency personnel to the trestle, known to swimmers as the "Ironey."

Whitehall Police Lieutenant Michael Marks said the area where Mittermeier was eventually located is a steep, vertical section of jagged rocks.

Northampton Fire Chief Robert Solderich said there is a wooden platform on the site as well as a rope for swinging into the water.

The Northampton Fire Department Water Rescue Unit retrieved Mittermeier's body since the Lehigh County side of the river made it virtually impossible to bring the victim's body to shore.

"[Mittermeier] was wearing shorts and a T-shirt," Solderich said, giving speculation that Mittermeier was not swimming. A wallet was also found on his person.

Solderich said the body was submerged, found lying on top of a rock. The depth of the river in the area where Mittermeier's body was located is at least 11 feet.

"The water was clear, and there were no strong currents," Solderich said.

Solderich said Mittermeier may have been in the river for hours before the call came in because of the condition of the body.

David Krause, Lehigh County deputy coroner, was called to the scene and pronounced Mittermeier deceased. An autopsy to determine the cause of death was conducted Friday by the coroner's office.

(See obituary on page A4.)