Coralville man dies while trying to save child in Iowa River

A Coralville man drowned Friday evening while helping efforts to rescue an 8-year-old child who was struggling in the currents of the Iowa River near Lone Tree, authorities said.

The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office reported a call came in shortly after 6 p.m. about a possible drowning at River Junction Access, 6051 River Junction Rd. SE, in southern Johnson County.

Authorities said the child entered the river and began to struggle, so the man went in to help save him. But the man submerged, and a passing kayaker and another person tried to find him but could not.

The kayaker rescued the child from the water. Bystanders performed CPR and the child was transported to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The Sheriff’s Office did not report the child’s condition.

The body of Wegayewu Faris, 42, was found about 7:10 p.m., the office said. He is not related to the child, authorities said, but like the child he had come with others to fish at the river.

“Both Faris and the bystander were instrumental in saving the life of the 8 year old child,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The name of the child and the kayaker were not released. The incident remains under investigation.