Authorities in Alaska believe they know what happened to a man who disappeared on a glacier lake after retrieving footage from a GoPro camera installed on his helmet.
However, his body has yet to be located.
Alaska State Troopers announced in a statement that Paul Rodriguez Jr., 43, of Juneau, perished on July 11 after his kayak capsized in Mendenhall Lake at the base of the Mendenhall Glacier.
On July 11, a bystander saw an unmarked kayak floating on the lake, prompting police to investigate. According to the witness, nobody on the lake or nearby was in danger.
A GoPro camera placed on a helmet was found on the shore and given over to police, according to troopers, while teams are still searching the lake for Rodriguez’s corpse.
Rodriguez was identified as the owner of the camera.
Officials watched the clip and concluded that Rodriguez accidentally videoed himself drowning in the icy water when his kayak capsized. Troopers spokesman Tim DeSpain told the Associated Press that the current was mighty due to the proximity of the glacier.
According to the troopers, Rodriguez was not wearing a life jacket or any other type of protective apparel designed for activities on glacial water.
U.S. Forest Service personnel reported a car parked at the recreation area since July 11; Juneau Police received the information on Sunday and verified the vehicle was registered to Rodriguez.
According to authorities, Rodriguez’s roommate saw him last on July 10, and others told them that he was last seen on July 11 at a beach near Nugget Falls in the lakeside recreation area.
Jaden Rodriguez, Rodriguez’s son, spoke about how his dad’s life shifted for the better once he committed to Christ. His son recalled a generous father who loved fishing, skiing, paddleboarding, and photography.
“He was a good person,” Jaden reflected.
