POINT MacKENZIE — Alaska State Troopers say two hunters found dead Tuesday near Point MacKenzie apparently drowned.
Trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said the state medical examiner didn’t do a full autopsy, just a “body review,” but the preliminary findings indicate drowning.
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Raymond Lyn Westbrook, 50, of Anchorage and his friend, Eric Scott Henman, 42, of Watertown, S.D., left Deshka Landing at 9 p.m. Thursday with plans to return home at 9 p.m. Sunday, troopers report. The men planned to ride an aluminum canoe down the Susitna River from Deshka Landing and hunt bear.
Upon reaching Cook Inlet, they planned to hop into a vehicle parked and waiting for them at Point MacKenzie, Troopers report. At 4 p.m. Monday, Westbrook’s girlfriend reported the two men overdue and Alaska Wildlife Troopers began a search with boats and fixed-wing aircraft an hour later.
The search continued into Tuesday when, at about noon, Henman’s body was found at Point MacKenzie about 120 yards from the canoe, troopers report. The Anchorage Fire Department provided a boat to help in the recovery. About three hours later, Westbrook’s body was found in the water near Fire Island.
Both were found wearing life jackets, Peters said.
Peters said she talked with troopers working the case and, “Every single one of them I’ve asked whether they think [the canoe] was an appropriate vessel for the waterway and they all said ‘no.’”
Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiers-man.com or 352-2270.
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