Brothers drown in Mat Lake

By HEATHER A. RESZ

Frontiersman.com

PALMER — The body of a Palmer man who drowned in Manauska Lake Friday morning has been recovered. The man’s brother, visiting from Idaho, also drowned in an apparent canoe accident.

Mat-Su Borough Dive Rescue and Alaska State Troopers responded around 10:23 a.m., July 6 after a family recreating in the area spotted a canoe floating upside down on the lake and went to investigate, according to AST spokeswoman Beth Ipsen.

The family spotted what they thought was a body in the water nearby and returned to shore to notify staff at Lifetime Adventures, a canoe rental business on the lake, Ipsen said.

Troopers and Mat-Su Dive Rescue responded to the scene and recovered the body of Michael Francis, 70, of Pocatello, Idaho, according to a troopers report. He was found floating in the water near the canoe.

Ipsen said investigation revealed that the canoe was rented to Francis’ brother, Randy Francis, 55, of Palmer. She said both men were observed in the canoe earlier.

After searching the rest of Friday for Randy Francis’ body, members of Mat-Su Dive Rescue returned to the lake Saturday morning to resume their search, Mat-Su Borough Dive Rescue Chief Cliff Silvers said. At about 3:45 p.m., that search ended when they found Randy Francis.

Although it’s July and temperatures outside are reaching into the 70s on some days, the temperature of local lakes and rivers is much colder, Silvers said. He estimated the water in Matanuska Lake is about 48 to 50 degrees, which is cold enough to cause shock and hypothermia to a person who falls into it.

“That cold water splashes in your face, you can suck it in and if you struggle, that stiffens your muscles up,” he said.

Without a personal floatation device, suddenly finding yourself in such cold water can be very dangerous, Silvers said.

Ipsen said neither man was wearing a personal floatation device.

Next of kin has been notified.

Friday’s accident comes less than a month removed for another incident where two brothers drowned in a Valley lake. Steven Kirkpatrick, 59, and Jeffrey Kirkpatrick, 56, of Cleveland, Tenn., drowned in Lake Louise June 22.