Kake boating fatality
A Kake resident has died after apparently falling overboard from his boat this weekend.
Searchers recovered the body of a 59-year-old Willis Cavanaugh shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday (7-2-17), floating about 1 mile offshore of Pt. Macartney, near Kake.
The U.S. Coast Guard received a call from the vessel Kalin Ann at 1 p.m. Sunday. The boat was aground in Herring Bay on the southern side of Admiralty Island, about 15 miles northwest of Kake across Frederick Sound. According to the Coast Guard the caller reported waking up and finding the boat aground with his father no longer piloting the vessel.
A helicopter from Air Station Sitka and plane from Kodiak conducted the search assisted by six Good Samaritan vessels.
No additional details were immediately available. Cavanaugh’s body will be sent to the State Medical Examiner for autopsy.
Mt. Roberts rescue
Coast Guard Air Station Sitka also assisted a stranded Juneau hiker earlier in the week.
Shortly before 10 p.m. last Thursday (6-29-17) a hiker called the Juneau Police Department and reported that he had become lost in the fog.
The 30-year old California resident, Bandar Alneami, was hiking on top of Mount Roberts above Juneau when he became disoriented. As he attempted to find his way down, Alneami reached a steep waterfall and was unable to safely travel farther.
An Air Station Sitka helicopter responded with two members of Juneau Mountain Rescue. The team flew to GPS coordinates provided by Alneami and located him. He was hoisted aboard and taken to the Juneau Airport, and then to Bartlett regional hospital, where he was treated for mild hypothermia.
