Tragic Death of Illinois Man Stuck in Alaska Mud Flats

Zachary Porter, a 20-year-old man from Illinois, drowned after getting stuck in quicksand-like silt in an Alaska estuary and being submerged by the incoming tide. The treacherous mud flats at Turnagain Arm have claimed at least three lives over the past 55 years and have led to multiple rescues. Signs are posted warning people to stay away from hazardous waters and mud flats. When the tide comes back in, the silt gets wet from the bottom, loosens up and can create a vacuum if a person walks on it.