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Sam Penrod Reporting Utah County authorities are sounding a warning after a man died yesterday when he jumped into the Jordan River.
The biggest danger right now is the water temperature. It is only 40-degrees, even though the weather seems to be warming up. And the cold water seems to be the leading factor in what killed a 25-year old man who jumped into the River yesterday at a popular diving spot.
It is known as the Old Iron Bridge on 9600 North in Lehi. For decades it was the way to get over the Jordan River. Today it is a part of history and has become a popular water hole in the summer for kids. The river is typically deep enough under the bridge and the water moves slowly.
However, yesterday, jumping in proved fatal for 25-year old Michael Chatwin of Clearfield. Witnesses say he jumped in and surfaced once, but then disappeared. Divers recovered his body several hours later. Authorities say the cold water likely caused Chatwin to cramp, preventing him from swimming to safety.
Sgt. Spencer Cannon, Utah County Sheriff's Office. "Life jackets would be first. The second would be, don't go in water that is less than 10 degrees above freezing; you can't last very long in water that cold."
Authorities say that even in the summer when the water temperature is warm, it is still a dive at your own risk situation. That's because the water levels vary and it's an uncontrolled environment. To make matters worse, residents tell us there is a lot of junk at the bottom of the river that's collected over the years, including an old bath tub.
So, while the river can look exciting, as we learned yesterday, it can also be dangerous.
