A man vacationing here from Newark, N.J., drowned Monday afternoon in Spring Creek just down from the boat landing at the U.S. 84 West bridge.

He was this year’s first drowning victim, Decatur County Fire and Rescue Chief Charlie McCann said.

Tywan Cumbie, 33, was here visiting family and was scheduled to leave Tuesday to Panama City, Fla., to work on a clean-up crew in connection with the BP oil spill, said his cousin, James Wilson of Donalsonville, Ga.

“We were like best friends,” said Wilson, who was called to the scene of the accident and wasn’t with him when he drowned.

“He was trying to swim across and just got tired,” Wilson said.

Department of Natural Resources Ranger Tony Cox said Cumbie apparently tried to swim across the creek around 1 p.m. Monday.

Cox and DNR Rangers Jeff Phillips, Chuck Crews and Sgt. Rick Sellars found Cumbie in 15 feet of water in the approximate area of where witnesses said he disappeared under the water. His body was found approximately 30 minutes later by Rangers using drag lines.

Decatur County Sheriff’s Deputy Liz Croley was told by witnesses that Cumbie couldn’t swim, and when he attempted to cross the creek and had yelled for help Croley said a female friend and two other male witnesses tried to rescue him, but were unable to.