The Soldotna Communications Center received a call early on Wednesday morning reporting a missing man on Hidden Lake, a popular ice fishing location north of Skilak Lake on the north Kenai Peninsula.

The call that came in at 7:19 am on Wednesday, reported that 45-year-old David Riss of Sterling had been out on the lake with Arthur Fena and Herbert Myddelton ice fishing on the lake. They had gone onto the lake in a Dodge Caravan on Tuesday afternoon around 4 pm.

After their arrival on the lake, Riss had decided to try out the fishing in a different portion of the lake according to the report. When Riss did not arrive back at the camp by nightfall, Fena and Myddelton walked the lake looking for their friend.  As they searched for the missing fisherman, the two fell through the ice. The two men successfully saved themselves and travelled back to their camping area and made a warming fire.

Once their cell phone was once again operational the next morning, the two called the Alaska State Troopers to report their missing fishing partner. An officer from the Fish and Weldlife Service responded to the scene to assist in locating the missing Riss. At 10:20 am, the officer located Riss floating in an open section of water on the northwest side of the lake. The van could not be found.

A CES diver responded to the lake and retrieved  the frigid waters ahortly after noon. Riss’s body was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy.

Troopers say that they currently do not suspect foul play in the incident.

Riss’s next of kin were notified of the incident.

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