Police say alcohol was a likely contributor to the deaths of two men who drowned while trying to swim across a lake in Melbourne's north overnight.
Authorities said the tragedy unfolded when a 19-year-old man from Mernda and another man aged in his 30s attempted to swim across the lake after drinking alcohol with friends at Redleap Reserve, in Mill Park, about 6:30pm Sunday.
Emergency services were called to the location after a 21-year-old Mill Park man lost sight of the two men who were swimming at the lake.
The men's bodies were pulled from the water between 9:30pm and 10:00pm.
Victoria Police Senior Sergeant Mark Smith said alcohol was a factor in the mens' deaths.
"Three males who had been consuming an amount of alcohol have taken it upon themselves to a swim across the lake here," Smith told reporters.
"Unfortunately, probably because of the affects of alcohol, two of them have got into trouble while swimming across the lake ... alcohol and the activity don't go together.
"That is probably the major contributor at this stage."
Family and friends of the men were reportedly at the scene when the bodies were retrieved.
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