Alaska News

Wrangell man dies after his boat overturns during a storm

A man was found dead in his overturned boat Monday about 12 miles southwest of Wrangell, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Troopers received a report of the overturned vessel shortly before 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Responding along with the U.S. Coast Guard, Wrangell Search and Rescue arrived in the area around 3 p.m. and found a 32-foot boat on its side in shallow waters, troopers wrote in an online statement.

Rescuers waited there overnight until low tide. Around 1 a.m. Monday, they pulled the body of 53-year-old Randall Ferdinand of Wrangell from the wreckage, according to troopers. The boat had crashed into rocks in shallow water as Ferdinand tried to navigate during a storm, troopers said. No foul play was suspected.

Ferdinand’s next of kin has been notified, troopers said, and his body will be sent to the State Medical Examiner Office.

Tess Williams

Tess Williams is a reporter focusing on breaking news and public safety. Before joining the ADN in 2019, she was a reporter for the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota. Contact her at twilliams@adn.com.

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