An Alaska woman who disappeared over the weekend after jumping into the North Fork of Eagle River in an attempt to save her family’s dog has been identified as Amanda Richmond, 45, of Eagle River, Alaska.
In a statement on Dec. 27, officials said the Alaska Dive Search, Rescue, and Recovery Team, the Solstice Search and Rescue K9 Team, and the Alaska Wildlife Troopers will continue to search for her at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
The effort continued after the Anchorage Police Department initially alerted Alaska state troopers on Dec. 23, but responders had to pause the search without locating Ms. Richmond after sunset made it too dark to continue.
Troopers said the Department of Public Safety (DPS) used a helicopter to search by air, while a wildlife trooper also assisted with a ground search.
Wedding Anniversary Hike
Ms. Richmond’s husband, Brian Rogers, said they were celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary when she went missing, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
The couple went hiking with two of their dogs along the river’s trail on their wedding anniversary when one of their dogs suddenly fell through the ice while trying to drink water through a small opening, according to Mr. Rogers.
Mr. Rogers said he went into the water first to try to save the dog, but he couldn’t find it. He added that as he got out of the river, he saw his wife getting in.
“I knew from the look on her face she was going in to save our dog,” he wrote in a statement obtained by the Anchorage Daily News.
“She is an emergency room nurse, trained to help and save people,” he added. “In this situation, she was going to save our dog. I yelled, but doubt she even heard me as she was completely concentrating on saving the dog. Before I could get back to the opening to try and grab her, I could see her swimming downstream under the ice and then out of sight. I waited and waited and am still waiting.”
Mr. Rogers was not injured after entering the water in an attempt to rescue their family dog, according to the police statement.
Jennifer Richmond, the victim’s sister, said the tragedy had devasted the family. She said the couple met each other while working in the medical field in Texas before they eventually moved to Alaska for Mr. Rogers’ work in the U.S. Air Force.
Her sister noted that the family had four dogs, and Ms. Richmond was an animal lover passionate about rescuing dogs. She also described her sister as a loving mother who will be remembered for her kindness.
“Her sons were everything to her,” she said.
More Details on Search Effort
DPS spokesman Austin McDaniel said Alaska State Troopers need additional help with rescue and recovery efforts such as Ms. Richmond’s, which involves open water. Officials usually use an underwater drone as well as sonar and divers to locate missing persons in such cases.
“At the end of the day, we will go through and see if there’s other areas of interest, [areas] we still need to search, and then make a decision on what type of search strategy or search tactics we might deploy tomorrow,” Mr. McDaniel said, KTUU reported.
Meanwhile, Rep. Jamie Allard, who represents the area where the woman disappeared, wrote of the impact of the tragedy on the close-knit community.
“This incident is a heartbreaking tragedy, and it deeply saddens all of us.” Ms. Allard wrote in a statement obtained by the publication. “The loss experienced by the family is beyond words, and they have my most heartfelt sympathies in this difficult time. This event is a grave reminder of how quickly situations can turn perilous in natural settings, especially near our river.”
