A 16-year-old boy from Emmonak died Friday evening after his snowmachine went into open water on the Yukon River, according to Alaska State Troopers.
Troopers received a report around 8 p.m. that the teen, identified as Kennedy Teganlakla, had driven a snowmachine onto open water near the Western Alaska community. Troopers said the machine sank shortly after entering the river.
According to the trooper dispatch, Teganlakla had been attempting to water skip, a practice in which riders skim a snowmachine across stretches of unfrozen water.
Search teams from the community and responding agencies began looking for Teganlakla shortly after the call came in. His body was located about two hours later, troopers said.
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Emmonak, located at the mouth of the Yukon River, is surrounded by freeze-up conditions that can vary widely in early winter. Authorities continue to remind residents that fluctuating temperatures and river currents can make ice conditions unpredictable.
Troopers did not report any additional injuries. The investigation remains open.
