A Cordova man drowned in an early-morning kayaking accident Thursday, May 28, law enforcement officials confirmed.
Zakary Zeigler, 21, fell out of a kayak on Eyak Lake and was unable to get back in, according to an Alaska Department of Public Safety report. Zeigler was camping with several other people, one of whom jumped into the water in an attempt to save him. The Alaska Wildlife Troopers were notified around 3:57 a.m., after which a Cordova Alaska Wildlife Trooper and a Forest Service agent arrived via jet boat, recovering Zeigler’s body from the water. Personnel from the Coast Guard, the Cordova Police Department and the Cordova Volunteer Fire Department were also on the scene.
Zeigler was not wearing a life jacket, and alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the incident, according to the DPS report. The State Medical Examiner’s Office was notified after the incident, and requested that Zeigler’s body be transported to Anchorage.
