Photo: Heath Korvola / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Two teenagers from South Carolina died after accepting a dare to jump off a bridge and into a lake over the weekend. The Pickens County Sheriff's Office said they received a 911 call on Saturday (May 18) night and rushed to Lake Hartwell.
When deputies arrived, they learned that three teenagers had jumped into the lake. A boater found one of the kids and pulled them out of the water. Officers began searching the lake for the other two boys who were still missing.
After an exhaustive search, crews located the body of Rayan Al-Nasser, 16, on Monday morning in 15 feet of water. About ten minutes later, they found the body of Zakaria Chaar, 15, who was about eight feet away from Al-Nasser.
Captain Brett Barwick with the Pickens County Sheriff's Office said an investigation revealed that teens have been daring each other to jump off the bridge in a group chat. He noted that several other teens had jumped off the bridge and into the lake without incident. However, when the three teens jumped into the water on Saturday night, one of them immediately had trouble swimming. The other teen tried to help them, but they both disappeared under the water.
"The School District of Pickens County (SDPC) is heartbroken to learn of the passing of two students from D.W. Daniel High School," a Pickens County School District spokesperson said in a news release. "Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the families, friends, and the entire D.W. Daniel High School community. The loss of these young lives is a profound tragedy, impacting not only their families but also their classmates, teachers, and the broader community. In times like this, our priority is to provide the necessary support and care to our students, staff, and families."