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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Division of Parks and Recreation on Monday released the name of the man who drowned Saturday while kayaking at Deer Creek Reservoir.
Anuj Khandelwal, 32, was kayaking with his wife, Anshul Khandelwal, at the reservoir Saturday afternoon when their kayak tipped over. Neither were wearing life jackets, even though there were two in the kayak, said Utah State Parks Sgt. Drew Patterson.
An Orem man boating nearby jumped into the water and saved Anshul Khandelwal but didn't realize there was another person under the water.
Search and rescue crews found Anuj Khandelwal's body hours later, 75 feet under the water.
Utah State Parks sent its condolences to friends and family in a statement released Monday.
A GoFundMe memorial fund* page was created to help pay for funeral expenses, as well as costs to send Khandelwal's body to India and plane tickets for his wife.
"Anuj was always a brilliant, top-of-the-class student," the fundraiser page said. "He brought much joy and love to all he knew. There will be a noticeable void with his absence."
He married Anshul Khandelwal in December 2014 at Alwar City, India. He began his studies at the University of Delhi in India before coming to the United States. Anshul Khandelwal graduated from the University of Utah with a master's in information systems.
This accident marks the third boating-related death in 2017, Utah State Parks officials said. They cautioned people to always wear their life jackets during paddle sports.
In Utah, 80 percent of boating fatalities involve people who are not wearing a life jacket, according to Utah State Parks.
"While state law only requires an adult to have a life jacket onboard their vessel, wearing the life jacket while on the water at all times could make all the difference," the statement said. "For us, even one death is one too many. We are asking all those venturing out to recreate in this beautiful state to please remember to wear your life jackets. Accidents do happen. Nobody is invincible."
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