Man clings to chunk of ice as he floats out to sea, Alaska rescuers say
A man was found clinging to a chunk of ice as he floated out to sea in Alaska, rescuers said.
The man became submerged in freezing water Saturday, Feb. 26, Alaska Wildlife Troopers said. Only his head and arms were visible as he clung to the ice.
Troopers received a report that a man was “floating out to sea on a large chunk of ice” in the Anchor River. About 30 minutes later, a trooper arrived and found the man 300 yards from the shore near the mouth of the Anchor River.
A local fishing boat also rushed to help the man from 3 miles away, rescuers said.
The man was struggling to stay afloat, and he wasn’t wearing a flotation device. Rescuers did not say how he ended up in the water.
The trooper and the fishing boat arrived at the same time to help the man. The man was pulled onto the fishing boat.
“He was observed to be conscious and breathing but very hypothermic,” rescuers said in a dispatch report.
The man was taken to a hospital and treated for hypothermia. Rescuers said he’s expected to fully recover.
This story was originally published February 28, 2022 at 6:49 AM with the headline "Man clings to chunk of ice as he floats out to sea, Alaska rescuers say."