Obama's chef drowns while paddleboarding outside family's estate on Martha’s Vineyard

NEW YORK

Former US President Barack Obama’s chef was found drowned in a pond on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, according to reports.

Massachusetts State Police confirmed that a paddleboarder found near the Obama family's residence over the weekend was 45-year-old Tafari Campbell of Dumfries, Virginia.

Campbell's body was recovered from the Edgartown Great Pond, the police said.

The Obamas were not home when the accident occurred, reports said.

The police have launched an investigation.

The Obama family said that Campbell was ''a beloved part of our family'' in a statement.

''When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House,'' they said. ''He’s been part of our lives ever since.''

''Our hearts are broken that he is gone,'' they said.