Idaho boy drowns while trying to save his older brother

Officials say an 11-year-old Idaho boy drowned while trying to save his older brother in a northern Idaho river.

The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office tells KBOI-TV the boys had been swimming at Pend Oreille River with their mother on Tuesday when the 17-year-old began to struggle and panic. Officials say both brothers were inexperienced swimmers.

According to the sheriff’s office, the mother jumped in to help her eldest son but was going under herself because of his struggles. Police say the younger boy tried to rescue his brother after their mother went back to shore to call for help.

The older brother was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Divers recovered the 11-year-old’s body in about six to seven feet of water. Officials say he died at the scene.