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Emmonak teen dies in open-water snowmachine accident

The lower Yukon River community of Emmonak in the winter.
Calista Corporation
The lower Yukon River community of Emmonak in the winter.

Alaska State Troopers say a teenage boy from the lower Yukon River community of Emmonak died after a snowmachine he was driving sank in the river at some point on Friday, Nov. 21.

According to a trooper dispatch, 16-year-old Kennedy Teganlakla had been attempting to hydroplane the snowmachine over open water – known as skipping – when the accident occurred.

Troopers said they received a report of the accident just after 8 p.m. on Nov. 21. Search and rescue crews from Emmonak and the nearby community of Alakanuk responded to find Teganlakla deceased roughly two hours later.

Teganlakla’s next of kin have been notified and his body has been released to his family.

Evan Erickson is a reporter at KYUK who has previously worked as a copy editor, audio engineer and freelance journalist.