Coroner: Two Miami University students found dead in Kentucky's Lake Cumberland

The bodies of two Miami University students were recovered Monday morning from Lake Cumberland, a popular boating reservoir in Kentucky. 

Yanqi Xing and Guan Lian, both 23, went missing Friday while swimming between Jamestown Marina and Wolfe Creek Dam (Low Gap), according to authorities. 

The preliminary cause of death for both students is accidental drowning, according to Mark Coots, the Russell County Coroner.

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According to reports, four people — two men and two women — were swimming in the lake when their houseboat began drifting away on June 5. Lian and Xing swam after the houseboat. 

The two women told authorities that Xing and Lian never resurfaced, according to H.M. Bottom, the emergency management director for Russell County. 

Bottom said the water in that area is roughly 135 feet deep and had a swift current at that time. He said a boat picked up the two other swimmers. 

Lian is a senior on the Hamilton campus and Xing graduated from Miami University in December 2019, according to Carole Johnson, the spokesperson for Miami University. 

Both were from China and were international students.

Johnson said the university is providing counseling to students through the H.O.P.E  (Help Over the Phone Everywhere) Line. The hotline is available 24/7 for students at 855-249-5649. studying at Miami University of Ohio.