Troopers Rescue Man Clinging To Chunk Of Ice In Cook Inlet

A scary incident had a happy ending when a man was rescued from a floating block of ice in Cook Inlet. Here’s more from Alaska’s News Source:

The Alaska State Troopers report that Homer resident Jamie Snedden, 45, was seen “floating out to sea” on a large chunk of ice near the Anchor Point tractor launch on Saturday morning. According to an online troopers dispatch, Alaska Wildlife Trooper Jeremy Baum arrived shortly before noon and saw Snedden about 300 yards offshore near the Anchor River’s mouth.

“Snedden was submerged in the water with only his head and arms visible as he clung to a large piece of ice,” the dispatch states.

The U.S. Coast Guard was notified, but it was unknown how long it would take for them to arrive on the scene, according to troopers. A local fishing vessel, the F/V Misty, was only about 3 miles away and responded to help, troopers wrote.

Here’s the complete Alaska State Troopers dispatch:

On 02/26/22 at about 1111 hours, AWT received a report of a man floating out to sea on a large chunk of ice in Cook Inlet near Anchor Point tractor launch. The man was later identified as Jaime Snedden, age 45, of Homer. At 1147 hours AWT Trooper Baum arrived and located Snedden approximately 300 yards off shore near the mouth of the Anchor River. Snedden was submerged in the water with only his head and arms visible as he clung to a large piece of ice. The USCG was notified and had an unknown ETA for arrival on scene, however a local fishing boat the F/V Misty was in the area and responded from approximately 3 miles away.

It appeared Snedden was having difficulty staying afloat and was not wearing a PFD. Trooper Baum launched an inflatable raft and rowed out to Snedden arriving at same time as the F/V Misty. Snedden was pulled onboard the F/V Misty where he was observed to be conscious and breathing but very hypothermic. Due to the Homer Harbor being over hour away Snedden was transported to the waiting EMS at the Anchor Point Tractor launch. Captain Blakely motored the F/V Misty to approximately 100 yards off shore of the Tractor launch where Snedden was then loaded into the raft and transported to the Anchor Point EMS on shore. Snedden was transported to South Peninsula Hospital where he was treated for Hypothermia and is expected to fully recover.