North Carolina woman dies after falling from raft during guided tour near Denali

A North Carolina woman drowned after she fell out of a raft during a guided tour near Denali National Park at the end of June, Alaska State Troopers said this week.

Pamela Waaser, 67, was on a commercial rafting trip with Denali Raft Adventures on the Nenana River when she fell out while traversing rapids on June 24, troopers spokesman Tim DeSpain said. She collapsed while she was trying to get back in the raft, he said.

There were eight people on the raft, including guides, Waaser’s family, a retired doctor and an emergency medical technician, DeSpain said. The group provided first aid, along with local medics, but Waaser died, troopers said.

Troopers released a statement about the death Tuesday. DeSpain said they waited for the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine that Waaser had died from drowning.

A Pennsylvania woman died and two others were seriously injured during a guided raft trip on Sunday near Copper Center.