Alaska man films own drowning on glacial lake with GoPro strapped to helmet; his body remains missing
An Alaska man is presumed to have drowned on a glacial lake after authorities recovered footage from a helmet-mounted GoPro that appeared to reveal his fate. But his body remains missing.
Paul Rodriguez Jr., 43, of Juneau, drowned July 11 when his kayak overturned at Mendenhall Lake at the foot of the Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska State Troopers said in a statement.
A passerby found a lone kayak at the lake July 11, but it had no identifying markings, troopers said. The individual reported there was no one in or around the lake in distress.
While teams are continuing to search the lake for the body of Rodriguez, troopers said a good Samaritan discovered a GoPro camera mounted on a helmet on the shore and turned it over to authorities. The camera was confirmed to have belonged to Rodriguez.
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After reviewing the footage, officials determined Rodriguez had inadvertently recorded his own drowning in the glacial waters when the kayak overturned. Troopers spokesperson Tim DeSpain told The Associated Press there was a strong current coming from the glacier at the time.
Rodriguez was not believed to have been wearing a life jacket or appropriate protective clothing for glacial water sports, troopers said.
Juneau Police said the department received a report Sunday from U.S. Forest Service employees about a vehicle parked at the recreation area since July 11 and determined it was registered to Rodriguez.
Rodriguez’s roommate reported last seeing him July 10, according to police, and friends said a social media post by Rodriguez July 11 showed a kayak on a beach that appeared to be near Nugget Falls, which is in the recreation area along the lake.
Rodriguez’s son, Jaden Rodriguez, recalled how his father’s life changed for the better when he found God. He said his father was kindhearted and enjoyed being outdoors for activities like fishing, paddleboarding, snowboarding and photography.
“He was a good person,” Jaden said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Investigators from Sweden and Estonia will study site of Baltic Sea ferry disaster
A research vessel with investigators from Sweden and Estonia was scheduled to arrive Wednesday at the site of the wreckage of a passenger ferry in the Baltic Sea for underwater studies that are hoped to produce new information about a maritime disaster that occurred nearly 30 years ago.
The studies of the wreck of the M/S Estonia ferry will be conducted from the Viking Reach research and survey vessel by the Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau and the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority in cooperation with Finnish authorities over the next eight days.
The M/S Estonia sank in heavy seas on Sept. 28, 1994, killing 852 people, most of them Swedes and Estonians, in one of Europe’s deadliest maritime disasters. The ferry was traveling from Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, to Stockholm when it sank about 30 minutes after an initial distress call. Only 137 people survived.
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Among other things, investigators plan to collect bedrock samples from the bottom of the sea near the wreckage site, film the ferry’s car deck and retrieve the vessel’s bow ramp from the seabed. The underwater surveys will be carried out with unmanned remotely operated vehicles and no divers will be used.
The ferry lies on the seabed 265 feet below the surface in international waters off the Finnish island of Utö and is considered a graveyard, which gives the area legal protection.
The accident has sparked several conspiracy theories, including that it might have collided with a submarine or carried sensitive military cargo.
In January, the accident investigation boards of Estonia, Finland and Sweden said there was no indication that a collision or an explosion caused the sinking, A 1997 joint investigation by the three countries concluded that the ferry sank when its bow door locks failed in a storm.
Mizuho Follows Japan Peers in Selling $1.9 Billion AT1 Bonds
Mizuho Financial Group Inc. raised 261 billion yen ($1.9 billion) by selling Additional Tier 1 bonds, becoming the third Japanese megabank to issue such notes this year after the collapse of Credit …
Mizuho Follows Japan Peers in Selling $1.9 Billion AT1 Bonds
Mizuho Financial Group Inc. raised 261 billion yen ($1.9 billion) by selling Additional Tier 1 bonds, becoming the third Japanese megabank to issue such notes this year after the collapse of Credit …
Mizuho Follows Japan Peers in Selling $1.9 Billion AT1 Bonds
Mizuho Financial Group Inc. raised 261 billion yen ($1.9 billion) by selling Additional Tier 1 bonds, becoming the third Japanese megabank to issue such notes this year after the collapse of Credit …
Mizuho Follows Japan Peers in Selling $1.9 Billion AT1 Bonds
Mizuho Financial Group Inc. raised 261 billion yen ($1.9 billion) by selling Additional Tier 1 bonds, becoming the third Japanese megabank to issue such notes this year after the collapse of Credit …