UPDATED 3 p.m. | A recent University High School graduate was one of two Iowa State University students who died Sunday morning in a boating accident.The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa State University Police Department identified the victims as Derek Nanni, 19, a freshman chemistry major from Normal, and Yaakov Ben-David, 20, from Washington, D.C.
Nanni and Ben-David were members of Iowa State’s crew team. Members of the club were on a boat that capsized in Little Wall Lake north of Ames on Sunday morning, according to a statement from the university. The team was reportedly practicing at the time.
A dive team recovered one of the bodies from the water on Sunday. Rescue crews spent much of Sunday looking for the second body, finding the victim in the lake late Monday morning.
Three other crew team members were rescued from the water. They were treated and released from a local hospital, according to a statement from the university.
It’s not clear what caused the boat to capsize. Iowa State University said it will release more information when the investigation and the school's internal review are complete.
'We'll miss his smile'
U-High Principal Andrea Markert said the school is "deeply saddened by the loss of Derek Nanni." She noted Nanni was heavily involved in athletics at U-High. He ran track and cross country and was on the swim team.
"We will miss his jokes and his smile," said Markert, adding Nanni's senior class voted him winner of the the school's "Best Worst Jokes" contest.
Markert said U-High has four counselors available to help students through the grieving process.
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