Latest news with #Rench
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Body Found After Monthslong Search for Man Who Fell Through Ice When ATV Plunged into River
The body of a man who went missing has been found two months after he first disappeared after sinking below the ice on a river in Alaska On Friday, May 23, Alaska State Troopers identified the body of 32-year-old Skye Rench, who was riding in an ATV with four other men when the vehicle fell into the Susitna River Three of the men were able to escape the water and survive, but Rench and Sean Kendall, whose body is still missing, were carried under by a current in the riverThe body of a man who fell through the ice on Alaska's Susitna River in early March has been found, according to authorities. The Alaska State Troopers shared in a Friday, May 23, release that the body of Skye Rench had been located by a private pilot near the mouth of the river on Thursday, May 22. The Alaska Department of Public Safety sent a helicopter to the area, where a rescue team member helped recover Rench's body and bring it to the Wasilla Airport. Rench was identified after his body was transported to the State Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy and identification. The 32-year-old resident of Wasilla, Alaska, first went missing on March 6 with Sean Kendall, who has still yet to be found. "Search teams are working to determine if there are any other areas that should be searched with last week's discovery of Rench," Austin McDaniel, communications director for the Alaska Department of Public Safety, told PEOPLE in regards to the ongoing search for Kendall. The two men had been traveling in a side-by-side ATV with three other adults when the vehicle "broke through the ice" on the river the morning of Thursday, March 6, according to Alaska State Troopers. Rench and Kendall, a 42-year-old Anchorage, Alaska, resident, were carried under the ice by the river's current, while the other three passengers escaped from the water and survived. At the time of the incident, they were traveling in a six-seat Polaris Ranger utility vehicle as part of a five-man crew, according to the Anchorage Daily News, which reported that they had been traveling to Point Mackenzie when the ATV sank under the ice. Rech was engaged to be married at the time of his death, according to a GoFundMe created after he went missing in March. An obituary from Rench's family posted to the GoFundMe says he "was truly blessed when he found the love of his life, Heidi. These two were the epitome of love, truly in sync with one another." The obituary also described Rench as "a devoted protector of those he loved" and "an Alaskan to the core" who "loved to hunt, ride snowmachines and love the outdoors." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Rench was born on Nov. 6, 1992, and graduated from Colony High School in 2011, after which he became an apprentice powerline man, then a foreman. He eventually opened the company Helacomm Communications, according to his obituary. "Skye liked to come across as a tough individual, which he was, but he also had a very tender, warm heart. When you received a hug from Skye, it was the most genuine and meaningful tight embrace," Rench's obituary read. "Skye was a very honest person and had a lot of respect for others." Read the original article on People
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Man's body found months after ATV fell through ice, AK cops say. ‘Gentle heart'
The search for one of two people who fell into an icy river in Alaska more than two months ago is over, state troopers said. A private pilot spotted the body of Skye Rench, 32, from Wasilla, on May 22 near the mouth of the Susitna River, Alaska State Troopers said in a dispatch. Officials recovered the remains and took them to the state medical examiner's office, where they were identified, troopers said. Rench went missing March 6 along with another man, Sean Kendall, 42, from Anchorage, after the side-by-side ATV they were riding on fell through ice on the river in south central Alaska, McClatchy News previously reported. Three other people were on the ATV and escaped the icy water, troopers said, but Rench and Kendall 'were reported to have gone under the ice in the current.' Kendall hasn't yet been located, KTUU reported. The men were on assignment for Alaska Directional LLC, according to the Anchorage Daily News. The company offers services including directional drilling and utility installation, its website said. Rench grew up in Alaska and 'lived a life full of energy, passion, and love,' according to an obituary on the Frontiersman's website. He became an apprentice powerline man and then foreman, and he later started Helacomm Communications with three others, the obituary said. Rench, who was engaged to be married, was a devoted outdoorsman and had recently competed in the Iron Dog snowmobile race, an online fundraiser said, describing him as 'truly Alaskan to the core.' His obituary added that he had a tough side but a 'gentle heart,' and his 'impact on everyone he met is something we'll all carry with us. He's left behind countless memories and stories that will live on forever.'
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'I just want them out': Search to resume for 2 men lost in Susitna River
Apr. 18—PALMER — The search for two men lost after their side-by-side plunged into the Susitna River in early March is set to resume as the ice starts to go out in Southcentral Alaska's spring breakup. The incident occurred the morning of March 6 as a five-man work crew including 32-year-old Wasilla resident Skye Rench and 42-year-old Anchorage resident Sean Kendall rode from a remote job site to Point MacKenzie. Alaska State Troopers said the six-seat Polaris Ranger utility vehicle broke through the ice at the confluence of Fish Creek and the Susitna River. Rench and Kendall were swept under. The three others were able to walk back to a work camp. The men were working for Alaska Directional LLC, a Palmer-based company. The job was part of a Matanuska Telecom Association project installing an underground fiber-optic cable to bring high-speed internet to Beluga and Tyonek, according to a state permit. The Alaska Occupational Safety and Health section last month said it was investigating the incident. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating, a spokesperson said this week. Alaska Directional issued a statement this week saying the company prioritizes employee and partner safety and is "fully cooperating" with the investigation. "Alaska Directional is profoundly saddened by this tragic incident. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and colleagues of those affected," the statement said. "We are grateful for the efforts of everyone involved in the response and for the overwhelming support from the community." Alaska State Troopers looked for Rench and Kendall for two days before transitioning to a "reactive" search, meaning the agency would deploy resources if new leads emerged. Rench's father, Thomas Rench, mounted his own search last month and said he got no outside help. He's been out to the site three times and plans to return this weekend. "What I live on right now, I haven't even taken time to grieve," Rench said. "I understand that I'll never see him again, but I've got a job to do." Stacey Calder, Rench's mother, this week said troopers told her they flew over the area on Monday. Calder said the ice at the confluence with Fish Creek is fairly broken up, but just downriver the ice is holding. "I just want the men out of that water," she said in an interview. "I just want them out. It terrifies me that they're still in there." Troopers conducted multiple flights over the area where the men disappeared to assess ice conditions, including one this week, according to spokesperson Tess Williams. Troopers plan to deploy the Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team when conditions improve, Williams said. The nonprofit dive team is activated by the Alaska Department of Public Safety for water-related emergencies around the state. A team member flew the Susitna River between Deshka Landing and Cook Inlet on Monday, according to a post Wednesday on the group's Facebook page. Several people have sent videos and photos of the area over the last few days. Breakup is "finally starting" on the river but it is progressing slowly, the team said. Once the ice clears, the team will be able to use a boat to search areas they couldn't access due to "very poor ice" over moving water and the lack of a defined search area due to snow and ice covering river channels, the post said. "It is extremely hard to wait to begin a search for loved ones, not only for the family and friends but also for the searchers," it said. "But some times it is necessary to keep another family from experiencing the same tragedy." A representative of the Kendall family said they are grateful for the attention being given to the recovery efforts and the mission to bring both men out. Hundreds attended separate memorial ceremonies held last month. Kendall grew up in Anchorage with two brothers and a sister, all graduates of West High School. He has a 16-year-old son. Rench grew up in Mat-Su and graduated from Colony High School. Both had extensive experience in the Alaska outdoors. Rench ran the Iron Dog snowmachine race for the first time in February. He told his fiance he was concerned about making the trip out on March 6, Calder said. It had rained hard the night before. "He told me that he felt that they should have been using snowmachines," she said. "He knows how to skip snowmachines."
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
2 men missing, believed dead, after ATV crashes through river ice in Alaska
Alaska Wildlife Troopers are conducting an aerial search operation after a side-by-side all-terrain vehicle carrying five adults broke through the ice on the Susitna River Thursday morning. They were on their way to a job site on Point MacKenzie, about 90 miles north of Anchorage, on March 6. Troopers said in a statement that they received a report last Thursday that the ATV crashed through the ice around 8:45 a.m. "Three people were able to get out of the water, but two were reported to have gone under the ice in the current," the statement said. Troopers believe 32-year-old Skye Rench of Wasilla and 42-year-old Sean Kendall of Anchorage drowned after they fell through the river ice and were swept away. Skye Rench, 32, of Wasilla, Alaska, is one of two men missing and presumed dead after an ATV crashed through the Susitna River on March, 6. (Photo credit: GoFundMe) Sean Kendall, 42, of Anchorage, and his son Koen. (Photo credit: GoFundMe) Sky Rench's fiancée, Heidi Goozen, told Alaska's News Source that Rench was working for a drilling company with a remote project that required crossing the Susitna River. According to Goozen, Rench became worried last Wednesday when warmer temperatures brought rain. The incident happened Thursday morning during a crew change when five people were crossing the river on an ATV and it went through the ice, Goozen explained. "One of the survivors - who was a close friend of Rench's - told Goozen the back half of the ATV went through the ice and while they tried to save Rench and the other man, they were unable to get them out of the water before they were swept away," Alaska's News Source reported. The three people who made it safely out of the water walked to a nearby work camp and were later picked up by a chartered helicopter. Because ice in the area is unstable, troopers are using a plane to search for the two missing men from where the ATV plunged through the ice, downstream to the mouth of the Susitna River. Heidi Goozen and Skye Rench. (Photo credit: GoFundMe) Goozen said Rench loved to be outdoors and recently accomplished a lifelong dream by racing in "The World's Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race" with his best friend Kevin, who was also on the ATV but managed to escape the icy river. "When they were young, they said they always wanted to race the Iron Dog, and this year they finally made it happen," Goozen told said. "It was quite the journey because the race course was not the best this year, but they finished, and they did not come in last." Goozen and Rench were supposed to be married this summer. A GoFundMe has been set up to assist Goozen as she plans funeral arrangements for Rench. Kendall leaves behind his wife Gina and 16-year-old son Koen. Sean Kendall's brother has also set up a GoFundMe to care for his son, Koen, who he calls "Sean's greatest pride and joy in life."
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Challenger criticizes Susan Collins for lack of oversight of Elon Musk spending cuts
Mar. 3—A former engineer with SpaceX who is running to unseat Sen. Susan Collins said the Republican lawmaker is not doing enough to hold Elon Musk accountable for the indiscriminate way he is cutting government agencies and federal spending. "What I'm most concerned about is there has been zero oversight from the Senate committee, specifically from Susan Collins, and they almost seem paralyzed or afraid to protect their constituents and that has me really concerned," said Phillip Rench, a 37-year-old Waterboro resident who has registered as an independent candidate for Collins' U.S. Senate seat. Rench, who worked for Musk's space technology company, said he believes reducing federal spending should be done "with a scalpel, not a chainsaw." Rench criticized his former boss' approach to slashing government spending and the lack of oversight and accountability from Congress — especially Collins, the 72-year-old chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. "She has the ability to subpoena people and ask questions — on live television if she wants to," Rench said. "She has a lot more power, but she's afraid to use it. What's the point of having a powerful state senator if she's not actually doing everything she can to protect her constituents?" Collins was asked Thursday by the Press Herald whether she would bring in Musk or other members of his team, known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to testify before the appropriations committee. Collins replied that she hadn't considered doing so. However, she said she plans to ask all department heads to come before the appropriations committee, and one of the lines of questioning would be how DOGE is impacting their departments and whether DOGE is interfering with how they want to run them. Collins spokesperson Blake Kernan responded to Rench's criticisms Friday by saying Collins is providing meaningful oversight through communications with Trump officials, pointing to her efforts to fight the administration's cuts to federal grants for medical research, cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and tariffs on Canadian products. "Mr. Rench seems focused only on oversight through 'live television' and completely ignores the actual work that the Senate does," Kernan said. "Oversight doesn't mean just sending press releases and doing cable television interviews. It includes direct contact and questioning of decision-makers." "Senator Collins has advocated on many issues directly with the vice president and the president's chief of staff, as well as many Cabinet secretaries and nominees," she continued. "Hearings are an important part of the oversight function. The Senate Appropriations Committee will soon begin a series of subcommittee hearings to evaluate spending requests and reductions as well as to assess compliance with congressional intent and enacted laws." In an interview with the Press Herald on Friday, Rench talked about his background and his concerns before launching a campaign website and social media page for his long-shot bid to unseat Collins in 2026. He was a college student living in Orlando, Florida, when he saw an animated video of a rocket landing on earth. He knew right then that he wanted to join the team at SpaceX, a private company owned and operated by Musk, the billionaire who is now leading President Donald Trump's controversial charge to slash the federal government and spending. Rench said he has seen "both sides of (Musk) — the good and bad." He's proud of SpaceX, saying working there was "the best, most crazy time" of his life, but he declined to elaborate about his personal interactions with the man who is upending the federal government. "It's not about him," he said. "It's about the people of Maine." A former Democrat who grew up in southern Maine, Rench said he decided to run because he doesn't trust Collins to defend a woman's right to make her own health care decisions and because his work as a control system engineer has given him unique talents to solve complex problems by breaking them down and looking at things differently. Rench knows he's running an uphill battle in trying to unseat Collins, especially without the financial and organizational support of a major political party. However, he believes it's important to get big money out of politics, pointing to Musk's role in the Trump administration after spending more than $270 million to help get Trump elected last fall. "I want to prove that a person like me, who has good intentions, who is a good person, who is decently well known in the community, can run a formidable campaign without a lot of money if they make the right decisions," he said. "I think we need to show that to the American people. You don't need big money to win an election. I know that may be a hill that I die on. However, I think it's an important hill that we at least need to test." So far, only one other candidate besides Rench has filed papers to challenge Collins in 2026. Natasha Alcala, a Madawaska Democrat, is the first person in her party to file paperwork. Both Alcala and Rench still need to collect signatures before becoming eligible to appear on the ballot. Alcala also filed papers to challenge Sen. Angus King last year but never qualified for the ballot. Staff Writer Joe Lawlor contributed to this report. Copy the Story Link
