A capsize, a night on the bank, and a morning-after airlift

Two people spent a night on the bank of the remote Killey River after their boat capsized, then were flown to safety Friday afternoon, Alaska Wildlife Troopers said.

The pair had been about seven miles up the Killey — a fast, cold, glacier-fed river that runs down from the Killey Glacier to join the Kenai, carrying so much silt it clouds the larger river where the two meet. Waters like that are exactly what capsizes a boat: swift, frigid, and murky enough to hide what's below the surface. Both made it to shore uninjured after the boat went over around 10 p.m. July 9.

What kept a bad night from becoming worse was preparation. Because the two had shelter, food, warm clothes, and a cell phone with service, they were able to hunker down on the bank and stay in contact with troopers through the night rather than risk the cold water or the country in the dark. That far up a roadless glacial river, there was no quick way out — troopers reached them and flew them to Soldotna Airport the next afternoon.