A 12-year-old boy from Sag Harbor died Wednesday during a class rafting trip in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania. The outing was an annual school field trip and included a guided rafting excursion on the Lehigh River.
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Cesar Albarracin Guncay was a sixth grader at Pierson Middle School.
The Carbon County Coroner’s Office said in a press release that officials responded after receiving a report of a drowning near the 99-mile marker along the Lehigh River in East Penn Township.
The raft capsized, ejecting all five people on board into the water. Guncay’s raft was separate from a larger group led by a river guide. He did not resurface after the vessel overturned. The Lehighton Fire Department Dive Team recovered his body and transported him to a nearby staging area.
The Forensic Pathology Associates at the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office determined Thursday that the cause of death was drowning.
A Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission spokesperson told NBC News that life jackets were in use at the time of the accident, but noted that “any incident involving a recreational boating fatality” would trigger a review of all safety equipment as part of the investigation.
Superintendent Jeff Nichols of the school said in a statement: “It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of the passing of our beloved sixth-grade student, Cesar Albarracin Guncay, following a rafting accident that occurred during the annual class trip to the Poconos. There are no words to adequately express the depth of this loss. Cesar was a cherished member of our school family — a child who mattered deeply to all who had the privilege of knowing him. His absence will leave an irreplaceable space in our classrooms, our hallways, and our lives.”
Hilary and Steve Bretzik, owners of Whitewater Rafting Adventures, said in a statement that their “entire team is heartbroken by what occurred,” adding that their first concern is for Cesar’s family and friends.
Nichols extended condolences to Cesar’s family and friends and noted that school counselors are available to provide support.
