The Alaska State troopers, according to dispatch, received a call reporting a man through the ice near the Cooper Landing bridge at 10:40 am on Saturday.

Bob Overman, age 57, of Cooper Landing, was traversing the ice while out fly fishing along the Kenai River when he broke through the ice and was immersed in the icy river water. He clung to the ice, while his fishing companion on the other bank of the river called for help.

First to the scene was a member of the Cooper Landing Volunteer Fire and Rescue and an Alaska Wildlife officer. Using a length of parachute cord and a backpack the two fashioned a lifeline for Overman, their the line was moderately successful. Although still in the water, Overman was 10 feet closer to shore.

A second Cooper Landing Fire Department volunteer arrived on the scene and was successful in fashioning a make-shift lasso. When tossed to Overman, he was able to wrap his arm in the lasso. He was pulled from the water and hauled closer to shore to thicker ice able to safely hold the load of the three rescuers. Once there, the men loaded Overman into a rescue sled and pulled him to an ambulance waiting at a nearby residence.

The ambulance transported Overman to a local airstrip, where he was transported by LifeMed to an Anchorage hospital.

It was estimated that Overman was in the river for about 18 minutes.