15-year-old dies after disappearing under icy Alaskan river, troopers say
Two teens fell into an icy river when air temperatures were in the single digits on Saturday. A 15-year-old's body was recovered by search and rescue on Saturday from the Kuskokwim River.
Sailor and his cat rescued from sailboat off Alaska coast
FILE: A man and his cat were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard Oct. 25 after becoming adrift amid rough seas off the southern Alaska coast. (Courtesy: U.S. Coast Guard /TMX)
KALSKAG, Ala. – One teen is dead, and another was able to climb out of an icy river after a tragic snowmobile accident in southwestern Alaska over the weekend.
Alaska State Troopers said two teens were riding a snow machine on the evening of Jan. 4 when they drove it into an open hole on the Kuskokwim River about 8 miles north of Kalskag.
Cole Gilila, 15, disappeared under the ice, and the other teen was able to climb out of the river. The surviving teen flagged down a truck and was taken to a clinic in Kalskag. Authorities said he was evaluated and was cold but otherwise uninjured.
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Alaska Search and Rescue volunteers launched a search for Gilila from Kalskag and Aniak. Around 8 p.m., teams found Gilila's remains in the river.
Alaska river map
(EPA / FOX Weather)
According to National Weather Service Anchorage data, temperatures at the nearest weather station in Bethel recorded a low temperature of 3 below zero and a high of 8 degrees on Saturday.