Two Die After Canoe Capsizes On Eagle River

Fern Johnson, 60, of Plains, Montana, and Carol Heater, 48, of Kalispell, Montana, perished when their canoe hit a logjam in Eagle River and capsized Wednesday. Robert Johnson, of Plains, Montana – who was also in the canoe – and Robert Voris, of Eagle River – who was accompanying the group in a kayak – survived the ordeal.\

“The Johnsons and Heater put their canoe up against the jam in a slow moving current but as they tried to paddle to the east bank of the river they were caught in a faster current which overturned the canoe. Robert Johnson was able to get up on the log jam but Fern Johnson and Carol Heater were caught under the jam and were drowned,” APD said in a press release.

APD says all of the participants in the outing were wearing life preservers.

The Montana residents were visiting Alaska and had only arrived in state that afternoon.