Emergency responders began searching for a missing canoeist late Monday night on Trail Lake near Seward.
Around 9 pm a 911 call to the Soldotna Public Safety Communications Center reported that 33 year-old Matt Asturi of Nevada had been consuming alcohol prior to going out in the canoe.
He was seen paddling the boat without a life jacket 15 minutes before the initial 911 call.
Moose Pass Fire Department, Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department and Crown Point Alaska State Troopers responded to the scene with personnel and two boats but were unable to locate Asturi.
Megan Peters with the Troopers said alcohol and boating is a problem in Alaska.
Peters: “There’s a confirmed 25% of drowning/boating deaths that are related to alcohol, the number could potentially be higher but sometimes we can’t test people because they’re not found.”
Troopers have conducted air, shoreline, and watercraft searches in the days since Asturi’s disappearance and the search was continued this morning.
Asturi’s next of kin have been notified.
