Saturday, Aug. 5, three teenage boy scouts were tragically killed in a sailboating accident on Lake O' The Pines in East Texas, near Avinger.

The three boys were participating in a campout with their troop, one of hundreds of which occur in East Texas each year, according to Chief Operating Officer for the East Texas Boy Scouts of America Daniel Anderson.

The 18 year-old, 16 year-old and 11 year-old boys, whose identities have not yet been released, were on a camping trip when their sailboat struck an over-hanging power line.

The 16 year-old's body was found floating in the water, and the 18 year-old's body was found still on board the boat, dead on scene.

The 11 year-old was found in the water and was air-lifted to a hospital in Shreveport, LA, where he passed away two days later, Monday Aug. 7.

A troop leader was able to make it to the scene within minutes of the accident, however, the two older boys were already dead.

All three boys were found wearing flotation devices, and the apparent cause of death is electrocution.

"Preliminary investigations and observations indicates the vessel, a Catamaran sailboat, collided with an overhead transmission power line and those onboard may have been electrocuted as a result," explained the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

"This is a difficult time for the scouting family," said DeWayne Stephens, East Texas Area Council Chief Executive. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim's families. We will support them in any way we can."

The three scouts were members of Boy Scout Troop 620 from Hallesville, TX.

The over-hanging wire belongs to Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative. Rob Walker, the general manager, said the company is working to determine exactly what happened and why the power-line was down.

"We are cooperating in the investigation and will assist in the process as it goes forward," Walker said in a statement.

The accident is currently under investigation, where a reconstruction of the events will be concluded.