Soldier deployed at Guantanamo Bay dies while swimming at the beach

Pfc. Matthew Cox, 19, died Tuesday after being swept by strong currents while he was swimming on a beach, officials said.
(Army)

A soldier from Iowa deployed at the Guantanamo Bay naval base died Tuesday while swimming with other members of the military service, officials said Thursday.

Pfc. Matthew Cox, 19, and four others were swimming at Cable Beach when powerful currents had submerged him, the Army Times reported. Why was the group at the beach?

Cox was a member of the 186th Military Police Company of the National Guard of the Iowa Army at Camp Dodge, Iowa, the Times reported.

Cox is from Leon, Iowa, about 70 miles south of Des Moines and was deployed to Cuba to support the Guantanamo Joint Task Force, the report said.

Cox's body was found Wednesday afternoon after the start of search and rescue operations involving divers, boats and aircraft, the officials said.

The remaining four members of the military service were not injured, according to the report.

The authorities are investigating.