Man drowns at Matanuska Lake

PALMER — Alaska State Troopers were notified at 4:42 p.m. Aug. 22 that a kayaker had gone into the water at Matanuska Lake in Palmer without a lifejacket. Troopers responded with Mat-Su Dive Rescue and Emergency Medical Services who were on scene when AST arrived, but were unable to recover the person who had gone under the water.

“A man was kayaking. He hadn’t been wearing a life jacket and he went under. He did have a friend with him that was a few feet away that attempted to rescue him but wasn’t successful in doing so,” said AST spokesperson Meagn Peters.

Search efforts resumed at the lake on Aug. 23 and at 8:20 p.m., the body was recovered from Matanuska Lake by Alaska Dive Rescue. The State Medical Examiner is responding and the man’s next of kin have not yet been notified, so his name has not yet been released.