Two snowmobilers from Massachusetts died in New Hampshire this weekend – one while taking his first snowmobile ride and the other while riding on ice with two companions who allegedly were drunk.

Sunday, divers recovered the body of James Couet, 29, of Lowell, Mass., who crashed through the ice on Lake Winnipesaukee late Saturday night. Police charged two other snowmobilers who were with him with snowmobiling while drunk. One of them also crashed through the ice, but was able to get out.

Fish and Game Lt. Jim Goss said the men went through the ice in Moultonboro just before 11 p.m. The other man, Stephen Quinton, of Salem, N.H., and a third snowmobiler who did not fall in, made it to safety. They were treated for hypothermia and arrested.

Goss identified the third rider as Eric Fitzgerald of Billerica, Mass. The men were on separate snowmobiles.

He said any determination as to whether Couet had been drinking would have to wait for toxicology tests. Fish and Game divers found Couet’s body just before noon on Sunday, in about 10 feet of water about 50 feet from shore, Goss said.

Saturday morning, in Conway, Kevin Cray, 50, of Douglas, Mass., died when he ran off a trail and hit a tree.

Fish and Game Sgt. James Juneau said Cray was riding a rented snowmobile, and that friends reported it was his first snowmobile ride.

“It is our belief that inexperience was a contributing factor to the incident,” Juneau said.

AP-ES-01-09-05 1713EST