A Utah teen died at Sand Hollow State Park on Thursday morning while paddleboarding, according to the Utah Division of State Parks.
The 15-year-old South Jordan boy, Landon Crook, was in the south beach area of the park with his family when he fell off his paddleboard at around 10 a.m. After they called for help when he didn’t resurface, first responders found his body under about 25 feet of water at around 12:30 p.m., officials said in a news release.
At the time of the fall, the weather was relatively calm, and the surface temperature of the water was about 80 degrees, officials said. Landon was not wearing a life jacket. His death is still under investigation by the state parks division.
Families headed outdoors should remember to prioritize safety, the news release states. “Always recreate with a buddy, wear your life jackets and helmets, and let somebody know where you are going and when to expect your return.”
Several first responders helped with the call, including the Utah State Park rangers, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue, the Washington County dive team, Hurricane City police and the Division of Outdoor Recreation’s remotely operated vehicle team.
“The Utah Division of State Parks extends our condolences to Crook’s family and friends,” officials said in a statement.
