MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Monroe County residents are mourning the loss a grandfather and his grandson after both drown in a southern Monroe County pond Tuesday afternoon.

Police say Josh Ownby, 15, and Wayne Gay, age unknown, went underwater just before 2:30 p.m. in the pond, located off Basin Creek Road. Gay’s other grandson ran to get help.

The pond is located near the town of Reliance, very close to the Polk County line and blocked by a private gate.

"It appeared to be a type of resort, maybe they were building for campers or a cottage getaway,” said Capt. Magan Shaw, Monroe County Rescue. “It was in the Hidden Woods area."

Volunteer TV News could not get on the property after the drowning because the gates had already been close. Rescue workers say the pond spread across several acres and was about 15 to 30 feet deep. Crews confirmed the pond was in a remote location and by the time they arrived, both victims had been underwater for several minutes.

“It was roughly about 10 to 15 minutes they were in the water, approximate time,” said Shaw.

However, Josh Ownby's brother, Jacob Ownby, says Josh's body wasn't pulled from the water until about two hours after the initial call for help.

Paramedics performed CPR on the scene.

Police are investigating the drowning as an accident. Neighbors told Volunteer TV News that they were told Gay died trying to save Ownby.

Jacob Ownby says his brother and his cousin were swimming in the pond when "Josh started going up and down in the water." That's when Josh's and Jacob's cousin tried to push Josh to the surface, Jacob says, before going to get a paddle from a boat that was tied to a nearby dock.

"Papaw jumped in to save Josh, and drowned trying to save him, while my cousin went to go get help," Jacob says.

“Evidently one told him the other had gone down in the water well,” said Leta Yermasek, Gay’s next door neighbor. “He went back there and tried to save him and lost his life too."

Yermasek is among many of the family’s neighbors who were blown away by the news. Several hours after the drowning, she still couldn’t believe Gay had died.

“He's always been so friendly,” she said. “He'll wave to the kids and it just shocked me when I found out it was him."

The tragedy brought a plea from Monroe County rescuers.

“If you're on the Tellico Lake water area, please wear a safety vest at all times, even if you're stopped,” said Capt. Shaw. “A lot of times people think they're experts but water can be unforgiving."

Stay with Volunteer TV News and VolunteerTV.com for the latest on this developing story.

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TELLICO PLAINS, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A man and his 15-year-old grandson drowned in a pond in Monroe County Tuesday afternoon, according to Monroe County Sheriff's spokesperson Jennifer Bledsoe.

Bledsoe says Wayne Gay and his grandson drowned in a pond near Basin Creek Road in Tellico Plains.

Monroe County Sheriff's Detective Mike Morgan tells The Monroe County Advocate and Democrat that the grandfather and another boy jumped in to help his grandson after the boy started having trouble staying about water.

Rescue workers performed CPR on both of the victims before they were declared dead on the scene, Bledsoe says.

She says it appears to be an accident, but is still under investigation.

Deputies got a call about the drowning around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, and Capt. Magan Shaw with the Monroe County Rescue Squad says the victims were in the water for 10 or 15 minutes before emergency crews arrived.

Shaw says the pond covers a two to three acre area, and is 15 to 30 feet deep. He says it's located at the site of a new development that he says appears to be a resort for campers or cottage getaways.

Members of Monroe County EMS, Conasuaga Fire Department, Monroe County Rescue Squad, Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and the Monroe County Dive Team responded to the scene.

The teen's identity was not released.