Tragedy struck in Alaska as a young man lost his life in an accident on Turnagain Arm, a scenic tourist spot that can be treacherous.
Zachary Porter, a 20-year-old man from Lake Bluff, Illinois, was exploring the mud flats of the 48-mile-long estuary when he found himself trapped in quicksand-like silt. As the tide rolled in, Porter’s desperate struggle for survival ended in his death.
According to Austin McDaniel, spokesperson for the Alaska State Troopers, Porter was walking along the mud flats with friends on Sunday evening when he became ensnared by the silt. Despite valiant efforts by firefighters and his companions to extricate him from the perilous mud, the relentless incoming tide overwhelmed their efforts, burying Porter.
The Turnagain Arm, famous for its breathtaking beauty, hides a dangerous secret within its picturesque mud flats. Composed of silt created by pulverized rocks from ancient glaciers, these flats have claimed the lives of at least three other people in the past, while countless more have been rescued.
The incident occurred shortly before 6 pm on Sunday, May 21 when Porter found himself trapped 50 to 100 feet from the safety of the shore. While one friend dialed emergency services, the others battled against the gripping mud, desperately trying to free Porter.
Despite the arrival of multiple fire crews and two air ambulances, their heroic efforts proved futile. As the clock neared 6:45 pm, the tide surged forward, enveloping the young man, who was trapped waist-deep in the mud. The following morning, Porter’s lifeless body was recovered from the mud flats.
Located near the town of Hope, the Turnagain Arm estuary is a popular destination for both locals and tourists. It winds its way southeast from the Anchorage area, running parallel to the Seward Highway.
Zachary Porter’s untimely death echoes a past tragedy that occurred in the area. In 1988, newlyweds Adeana and Jay Dickison suffered a similar fate when their ATV became lodged in the mud, resulting in Adeana drowning as the tide encroached.
