Family says Alaska photographer killed in moose attack knew the risks, died doing what he loved

By: Mark Thiessen

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The family of an Alaska man fatally attacked by an enraged moose trying to protect her newborn twin calves said he was a nature photographer who knew the risks of taking photos in the wild and died doing what he loved.

Even though there have been some calls for the moose to be killed, Dale Chorman’s family does not want the moose put down because she was only protecting her calves.

Chorman, 70, and a friend were attempting to find the moose and calves to photograph them Sunday when the moose came charging out of the brush, said Chorman’s friend, Tom Kizzia, a Homer, Alaska, author and journalist.

“They both turned to run, and the friend looked back and saw Dale lying on the ground with the moose standing over him,” Kizzia told The Associated Press by phone.

“There was no evident trampling, and they didn’t see any signs of trauma later when they recovered his body,” he said. “I think the medical examiner’s going to try to figure out exactly what happened, whether it was just single blow in the terrible wrong place or something.”

The friend sought help, and by the time medics arrived, Kizzia said the moose had faded back into the woods.

Rangers recover the body of a Japanese climber who died on North America’s tallest peak

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Rangers have recovered the body of a Japanese man who died after an apparent fall while climbing North America’s tallest peak, authorities said Tuesday.

Denali National Park and Preserve identified the climber as T. Hagiwara, from Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. He was identified by his first initial in keeping with his family’s wishes, park spokesperson Paul Ollig said by email. His body was recovered Monday evening from Denali 

Rangers had found his body Monday, a day after they were contacted by family who had not heard from Hagiwara in several days. He was climbing alone. The fall was believed to have happened last Thursday, the park said.

Also Monday, rangers were notified of climber who had suffered a leg injury at around 18,600 feet (2,621 metres) on Denali’s West Buttress, after a three-person rope team fell. The injured climber was rescued.

Coast Guard says Alaska charter boat likely capsized last year after flooding, killing 5

SITKA, Alaska (AP) — A fishing charter boat found partially submerged off an island in southeast Alaska last May likely capsized after its well deck flooded in rough seas, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, which investigated the incident that left five people dead, including two vacationing sisters and their partners.

More than 100 people attended the Coast Guard’s town hall-style presentation in Sitka last week on the findings of its investigation, the Daily Sitka Sentinel reported.

Investigators said survival options were limited once the 30-foot (9-meter) boat, Awakin, capsized on May 28, 2023; the vessel was not required to carry an emergency raft. The boat, which was found off Low Island, about 10 miles (16 kilometres) west of Sitka, had minimal provisions for draining water from the well deck, the Coast Guard’s lead investigator, Cmdr. Nate Menefee, said.