Hannah Jorgensen and Ahmed Osman were recovered from the Coralville Reservoir after an incident during a School of the Wild outing.
SOLON, IA — A fifth-grade teacher and a 10-year-old student died after an incident in the water during a school field trip at the MacBride Nature Recreation Area, authorities and school officials said, as investigators continued working to determine what happened.
Hannah Jorgensen, 24, of Tiffin, was a fifth-grade teacher at Borlaug Elementary School in Coralville, and Ahmed Osman, 10, of Iowa City, was a fifth-grade student at the school. They were participating in a Borlaug Elementary School of the Wild field trip on Sept. 22 when emergency crews were called to the Lake Macbride area near the Coralville Reservoir spillway. Authorities have not publicly explained how Jorgensen and Ahmed entered the water.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded at 12:10 p.m. to a report of people in the water at Lake Macbride State Park near the spillway. At 12:43 p.m., first responders recovered an adult from the Coralville Reservoir. Jorgensen was pronounced dead at the scene. Emergency crews then searched for a missing child through the evening before suspending recovery operations overnight.
The search resumed the following day with assistance from numerous local and state agencies. At 1:24 p.m. Sept. 23, first responders recovered Ahmed from the reservoir, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities then publicly identified both victims. The response involved the Johnson County Metro Dive Team, emergency management personnel, area fire departments, ambulance crews, University of Iowa police, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa State Patrol, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies.
The Iowa City Community School District said Jorgensen and Ahmed were taking part in a fifth-grade School of the Wild field trip at the MacBride Nature Recreation Area when the incident occurred. The outdoor education program provides students with learning experiences outside the classroom. Following the deaths, the district canceled School of the Wild field trips for the foreseeable future and made counselors and additional support staff available to students and employees at Borlaug Elementary.
School officials described Jorgensen and Ahmed as deeply valued members of the district community and said their deaths were being felt across Borlaug Elementary and the wider district. The district said its thoughts were with their families, Jorgensen’s colleagues and students, and Ahmed’s classmates and friends. Borlaug Elementary also thanked community members for the support offered to the school after the deaths.
The investigation remained active Friday. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office said investigators were continuing to conduct interviews and gather information about the incident. The agency said it had no additional details to release and asked for patience while investigators worked to establish what happened. Officials have not announced what caused Jorgensen and Ahmed to enter the water or released a detailed account of the events immediately before the emergency call.
The deaths also prompted public memorial gestures. Johnson County lowered flags at government buildings in memory of Jorgensen and Ahmed. On Saturday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered flags across the state to be flown at half-staff through sunset Monday, Sept. 28, in their honor. Reynolds previously offered condolences to the Borlaug Elementary and Iowa City school communities.
The sheriff’s office said it would release additional information when appropriate as investigators continue gathering evidence and interviewing people connected to the incident. School of the Wild field trips in the Iowa City district remain suspended, while support services continue for students and staff affected by the deaths.
Author note: Last updated September 26, 2026.