Swimmer dies in Stephan Lake

MAT-SU — Alaska State troopers say a swimmer who died in Stephen Lake was pulled from the water Wednesday afternoon.

According to an AST report, the call about a swimmer distress first came in at 7:29 p.m., June 25.

“Troopers were unable to locate anyone in distress. They searched the area of the lake that the swimmer was last seen in and were still unable to locate anyone,” according to an AST press release.

The next day, troopers called in the Mat-Su Borough Dive Rescue Team.

“Several boats and divers searched the area and were unable to locate anything,” troopers report.

Then on Wednesday, a resident of the area called to report that a body had been discovered. Troopers and the dive team returned to the lake and recovered the body, which was handed over to the state Medical Examiner’s Office.

Troopers said that as of late Wednesday evening they had not positively identified the body and were working to notify the next of kin. The identity of the individual is generally not released until after the person’s family has been notified.