HERRIMAN — The body of a 22-year-old drowning victim has been recovered from Blackridge Reservoir in Herriman.
A Utah Highway Patrol submersible robot located Deng Ador’s body at 10:40 p.m. Saturday, and his body recovered within 20 minutes, according to a statement from the Herriman Police Department.
The search began just before 6 p.m. when emergency dispatchers received a report of two men struggling in the water at the reservoir, located at 15000 S. Ashland Ridge Drive in Herriman. One of the men — Sa Mafutaga, 21 — was able to make it to shore, police said, but he went back in to try and help Ador.
“Bystanders then entered the water to aid Mafutaga, who was treated at the scene before being transported to the hospital by Unified Fire Authority. He is expected to recover,” reads the police statement issued Sunday.
Unified Fire Capt. Tony Baker said search crews immediately began looking for Ador using boats and a grid system. They were aided initially by search and rescue teams from Bluffdale and South Jordan, followed by the UHP dive team, which brought in the robot.
Details about what the men were doing in the water and what may have caused them to struggle were not available Sunday. Herriman police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the drowning to contact them at 801-858-0035.
Blackridge Reservoir will remain closed until further notice, police said.
Contributing: Alex Tumalip
