Provincial posted Jul 7, 2020 @ 12:40pm by Josh Duncan

Former UBC football player, 24, drowns trying to retrieve ball from Fraser River

A young man who played football with the UBC Thunderbirds has died after a tragic incident in the Lower Mainland.

Kory Nagata, 24, was on a boat in the Fraser River, which docked at a pier near the Pacific Gateway Hotel late Sunday evening.

While everyone disembarked the ship, Nagata jumped into the river to retrieve a football that had fallen into the water.

He reached the ball, but was unable to get back to the dock before being swept away out of view.

Two others jumped into the water to try and help Nagata out, but were unable to save them.

<who>Photo Credit: UBC Thunderbirds</who>Kory Nagata

A search involving the RCMP, coast guard, Richmond Fire Rescue and others began around 9:30 pm and lasted a few hours before being suspended for the night.

It resumed on Monday morning and Nagata’s body was located shortly before noon at low tide, close to the spot he entered the river.

Nagata played two seasons for the Okanagan Sun of the Canadian Junior Football League, racking up 39 career touches for 402 yards and four touchdowns as a runningback.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia/Lorne White</who>Kory Nagata