It was a deadly weekend for soldiers. Â Officials say Fort Wainwright soldier died in when a jet boat lost power on the Klutina River and capsized.
The Army says Pfc. Christopher Covington, 23, Â of Temple Hills, Md., died after the mishap Saturday. Â Two other soldiers and a child were aboard and survived.
In a separate incident, a Fort Wainwright soldier drowned at the Chena Lakes Recreation area in North Pole Sunday night. Alaska State Trooper spokesman Tim DeSpain says an adult male, who’s name is not yet being released, was swimming in the lake.
“He swam approximately 200-300 yards offshore, and as he was returning, he got within 150-200 yards of the shore and encountered some kind of a problem and started calling for help,” DeSpain said. “Other people immediately started to go out to get to him, but before they could, he had disappeared under the water.”
An army dive team from Ft. Wainwright responded to recover the man’s body.
Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
