Canoe Trip Turns Deadly on Eagle River (Updated with victim's names)

Two women dead

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By KTVA CBS 11 News
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Story Created: Aug 8, 2012 at 4:52 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Aug 9, 2012 at 11:17 AM AKDT

UPDATE: Police have released the names of the victims, 60-year-old Fern Johnson of Plains, Montana, and 48-year-old Carol Heater of Kalispell, Montana. Johnson's husband Robert survived the incident.

EAGLE RIVER - A canoe trip carrying three people turned deadly on Eagle River Wednesday, as rescue teams pulled two bodies from the water.

A third person in that canoe survived.

It started as a normal day on the water, but just before 4 p.m. something went terribly wrong for three people in a canoe in Eagle River.

“We’re not sure that exactly happened, we haven’t had an opportunity to interview the people that were involved, but they could have easily gotten caught in the log jam,” said Anchorage Fire Department Assistant Chief Jodie Hettrick.

Anchorage fire crews got on the scene at mile 7.4 to find the canoe flipped over.

“We do know that all three canoers went in to the water, one victim survived and was able to crawl on top of the log jam, and that's where we found him, and made contact and were able to remove him from the log jam,” said Hettrick.

The two others in the canoe – two women – weren't as lucky. Their bodies were recovered nearby.

Rescue crews say a fourth person, in a kayak was also found.

According to Hettrick, “Somehow they were two boats involved, canoe with three people and kayak with one person, don't believe anything happened to kayaker.”

Although all four were wearing life jackets, in the end for the women who died it made no difference.

It was a tragic end to what was supposed to be a calm canoe ride down Eagle River.

Fire officials are asking everyone to stay out of Eagle River for the time being as a safety precaution.

Park rangers plan to assess the waters Thursday.


 

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Susan said on Thursday, Aug 9 at 11:54 AM

Our prayers are with Fern and Carol's families, especially to Bob who survived the capsized canoe. Dan & Susan Schroedel/Plains, MT

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