Ahmed Osman was recovered from Lake Macbride on Wednesday after the Iowa death that followed a Borlaug Elementary fifth-grade School of the Wild field trip. The 10-year-old Iowa City student had been missing since the tragedy at the MacBride Nature Recreation Area.
The school district said Osman, a fifth-grade student at Borlaug Elementary, died in the accident along with Hannah Jorgensen, a 24-year-old fifth-grade teacher. Her body was recovered after noon on Tuesday and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Iowa City Community School District statement
The Iowa City Community School District said the accident happened on September 22, 2026, during the field trip at the MacBride Nature Recreation Area. In its Wednesday statement, the district said counselors and additional support personnel would continue to be available at Borlaug Elementary in the days ahead, and it said future School of the Wild trips have been canceled.
The district also said, “The Iowa City Community School District is heartbroken to share an update regarding the tragic accident that occurred during a Borlaug Elementary fifth-grade School of the Wild field trip at the MacBride Nature Recreation Area on September 22, 2026.” It added that Jorgensen and Osman “lost their lives as a result of the accident.”
Johnson County Sheriff’s Office investigation
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office continues to lead the investigation into how each victim got into the water. That question now sits at the center of the case, even after the recovery of both bodies from the Coralville Reservoir and Lake Macbride.
Governor Kim Reynolds addressed the tragedy on Wednesday evening and said, “Our hearts are heavy with news of the tragedy at Lake Macbride.” Her statement also asked Iowans to join in prayer for the families of Hannah Jorgensen and Ahmed Osman.
For families connected to Borlaug Elementary and Iowa City Community School District, the immediate changes are practical as well as personal: counseling support remains available, and School of the Wild trips are off the calendar while the investigation continues.
