Sa Mafutaga, 21, made it to the shore before going back into the reservoir to try and help Deng Mayar, 22. After Mafutaga was unable to help Mayar, bystanders entered the water to rescue him.\u00a0Mafutaga was transported to a hospital and is expected to recover.<\/p>\n
Related: Texas Democrats Say They’re Ending A Two-Week Walkout Over Gerrymandered U.S. House Map Plan<\/a><\/p>\n Police said Mayar went underwater about 35 feet from the shore.\u00a0Authorities used a submersible to conduct an hourslong search for him. His body was recovered by a diving team at 11 p.m., and he was pronounced dead.<\/p>\n Related: Trump Administration Halts Visas For People From Gaza After Laura Loomer Questions Arrivals<\/a><\/p>\n Mayar, a 6-foot-7-inch forward from Utah, played at the University of North Dakota before joining the Omaha men\u2019s team. Chris Crutchfield, the Omaha men\u2019s basketball head coach, said in a statement<\/a> that the program is \u201cdevastated\u201d over the 22-year-old\u2019s death.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter competing against him for two years, we were elated to add him to our team and he made tremendous progress this summer,\u201d Crutchfield said. \u201cDeng was a joy to be around and made our culture better. We will miss him greatly. [My wife] Jodi and I, along with our entire program, send our hearts and prayers to Deng\u2019s family, friends and teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n Mayar was studying in the business administration graduate program in Omaha and leaves behind his parents and six siblings.<\/p>\n Deng Mayar (5) drives past Iowa forward Payton Sandfort (20) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Nov. 7, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa. AP Photo\/Charlie Neibergall<\/p>\n Blackridge Reservoir closed after Mayar\u2019s drowning, but reopened Monday morning. According to Herriman, Utah\u2019s website<\/a>, the reservoir has no lifeguard on duty, but visitors can paddleboard and kayak there after completing a mandatory mussel-aware boater course.<\/p>\n In June 2016<\/a>, a 31-year-old man drowned in the reservoir \u2014 the third drowning there since it opened in 2009, according to KSL News Utah<\/a>. The outlet reported that the reservoir is 15 feet deep in some areas.<\/p>\n The city of Herriman, Utah, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n Related…<\/p>\n![\"Deng](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ee7d78cf88ba423c9fea7d8060d43008.jpeg\"\/)
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