John Wolski

ANCHORAGE MAN DROWNS IN KENAI
ADN

An Anchorage man drowned Sunday evening in a boating accident on the Kenai River at Cooper Landing, Alaska State Troopers said.

The man was identified as John Wolski, 35.

Troopers said Wolski, another adult male and two children were in a 15-foot canoe built for a maximum capacity of three people. Soon after they got into the canoe, it began filling with water, said trooper spokesman Tim DeSpain. At that point, Wolski "opted to leave the canoe. He was not wearing a life jacket and was swept a mile and a half downstream," DeSpain said.

The wives of the two men witnessed the accident from shore.

The four canoers had borrowed life jackets from a supply kept at the boat launch site. The children were wearing the jackets but the men were sitting on theirs, DeSpain said.

Troopers found Wolski's body downstream and tried for a half-hour to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.