SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Boy Scout leader is dead after he drowned helping a scout struggling in a Utah pond.
Authorities say the man was watching over a group of 10-and-11-year-old boys learning swimming techniques Wednesday night when one started having trouble in the water.
Salem Police Chief Brad James tells the Salt Lake Tribune the 25-year-old troop leader pushed the boy to safety, but then the man dropped under the water and never resurfaced.
He was submerged in the water for nearly an hour before divers found his body.
James says Salem Pond is a popular summer beach spot with picnic tables and calm water, but he said all swimmers should keep lifejackets handy.
The Boy Scout escaped without injury. The leader’s name has not been released.
