Sag Harbor sixth-grader dies in Poconos rafting accident during school trip

Cesar Albarracin Guncay, 12, was thrown into the Lehigh River in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, when a raft capsized Wednesday

A Sag Harbor sixth-grader died Wednesday after a rafting accident on the Lehigh River during an annual school trip to the Poconos.

Cesar Albarracin Guncay, 12, was one of five people on an inflatable raft on the Lehigh River in East Penn Township, Carbon County, when the raft capsized around 5:30 p.m., The Morning Call reported. All five were thrown into the water. Cesar did not immediately resurface.

The Lehighton Fire Department Dive Team removed Cesar from the water near the D&L Trail at mile marker 99 along the river. He was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m, according to the Carbon County Coroner’s Office. The four others on the raft were recovered safely.

The raft ride down the river was part of a larger group excursion with a guide. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, which is investigating the accident, noted that life jackets were worn by the five people on the raft that flipped over.

Cesar was participating in an annual Sag Harbor Union Free School District trip to the Poconos when the accident occurred, according to a Sag Harbor Express report.

Superintendent Jeff Nichols confirmed the death Thursday morning.

“There are no words to adequately express the depth of this loss,” Nichols wrote in a ParentSquare notification to school families. “Cesar was a cherished member of our school family, a child who mattered deeply to all who had the privilege of knowing him.

“His absence will leave an irreplaceable space in our classrooms, our hallways and our lives,” he added.

The administrator urged parents and staff to remain attentive to students in the days ahead.

“Grief can feel overwhelming, especially for young people trying to make sense of something so heartbreaking,” he wrote. “We recognize that this news will be painful and deeply unsettling for students, families, staff, and the community.”

Cesar is described on the GoFundMe page as “a kind, handsome and athletic” boy who was “a friend to many, and a beloved neighborhood kid” in Sag Harbor.

“He is immediately missed by his classmates, teachers, school families and the entire community,” states the campaign page organized by Huw Davies of Sag Harbor.

_{Top: courtesy of GoFundMe}