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School says 14-year-old who died on Salt River tubing trip didn't have life jacket

The school's director said none of the students were wearing life jackets and the student knew how to swim.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - A 14-year-old died on a tubing field trip on the Lower Salt River Wednesday, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said the director of Arizona International Academy in Scottsdale brought 10 of his students to the river for a field trip.

The group started floating down the river at the Blue Point Bridge, and within a few minutes, Joel Loding had difficulty staying on his tube, the sheriff’s office said.

Loding, a ninth grader, was the last one in the group, which was widely spread out because of the current, deputies said. MCSO said he was seen walking in waist deep water when he lost his tube.

His 15-year-old friend tried to help after noticing his friend went below the water’s surface. The friend entered the water from his tube and tried pushing him toward the large boulders on the shore but was unsuccessful, according to MCSO.

The school's director Ken Bursey said none of the students had life jackets. Bursey said Loding could swim, but believes the student panicked.

A search and recovery dive team later recovered the student in 10 feet of water about 25 yards downstream of where he was last seen, the sheriff’s office said.

The Office of the Medical Examiner said there were no obvious signs of trauma. Autopsy results are pending.

According to Bursey, they've never used life jackets on past trips and no one else on the river Thursday was wearing them.

The academy is in mourning, according to Bursey. The tiny school -- with only 11 students -- is funded by donations and made up mostly by refugees.

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