Omaha forward Deng Mayar died in a drowning incident in Utah, the school confirmed Sunday. Mayar was 22.
While swimming at Blackridge Reservoir in Herriman, Utah, Mayar and a friend, Sa Mafutaga, both began to struggle to stay afloat, according to the Herriman Police Department. Mafutaga made it to shore but reentered the water when he saw Mayar struggling. Bystanders later entered the water to help Mafutaga, who was treated at the scene and transported to a hospital, where he is expected to recover, according to Herriman Police.
Herriman Police said it responded to a call at 5:40 p.m. local time about two individuals in distress in the reservoir. Rescue crews searched for hours for Mayar’s body before the police’s submersible robot located him at 10:40 p.m. Divers recovered Mayar at 11 p.m. and pronounced him dead at the scene, per police.
Authorities said Mayar went underwater 35 yards from the reservoir’s shore, and his family was present during the rescue crews’ search.
Herriman is a suburb of Salt Lake City, Mayar’s hometown. The 6-foot-8 forward transferred to Omaha this offseason after spending two years at North Dakota.
