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ARIZONA NEWS

Arizona teen dies while paddleboarding in Utah

A 17-year-old Arizona boy drowned Saturday afternoon after falling off a paddleboard and becoming separated from it at Bear Lake in Utah.

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A 17-year-old Arizona boy drowned Saturday afternoon after falling off a paddleboard and becoming separated from it at Bear Lake in Utah, authorities said.

Emergency crews responded to reports of a drowning near Ideal Beach on the Utah side of the lake, according to the Utah Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division.

Investigators said the teenager was paddleboarding when he fell into the water. He was not wearing a life jacket and was unable to get back to his board.

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Multiple local emergency agencies and a helicopter responded to the scene to assist in the search. First responders located the teen and pulled him from the water, but attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

“This is a tragic and unfortunate circumstance,” the Utah Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division said in a statement. “The Utah Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division extends condolences to family and friends.”

Authorities have not released the identity of the teenager, and the incident remains under investigation.

David Veenstra KTAR.com editor

David Veenstra is a web content editor and writer for ArizonaSports.com and KTAR.com. Prior to joining Arizona Sports and KTAR, he graduated from the University of Oregon for his bachelor’s degree in journalism and Arizona State University for his… Read more

Comments

2 Comments

P
PsychOps Knows 2 months ago

You need to wear a life jacket even if you can swim.

B
Born Skeptic 2 months ago

When I was in school, learning to swim was part of our PE program.