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RALEIGH — Authorities have identified the two children who drowned in the Neuse River during a fishing trip Monday.

The incident happened at the Neuse River East Canoe Launch, just off Old Milbournie Road, where a man took his son and three nieces fishing.

Police said that Johnny Nay, 7, waded too far out into the river and was pulled under.

Nay's cousin, Katherine Rcom, 10, tried to grab him, but the current pulled her under too. The girl's 13-year-old sister tried to help them and she was nearly pulled under, but she was able to make it back to safety.

A handful of police officers and sheriff's deputies jumped in the water as soon as they arrived on scene to try to find the children. Officials said the undercurrent near the dam was very powerful.

“Just looking at the water, it is not moving that swiftly but in talking with the officers who jumped in the water; they said once they dove down a little bit the current was very strong; it was pulling them around in circles. It was just a very dangerous situation for everyone,” said Maj. J.C. Perry of the Raleigh Police Department.

It took emergency crews about four hours to find the children's bodies. They were only about 20 yards from the bank.