Face of Nation : Alaska — A newlywed from Belarus who was swept away by a river in Alaska was trying to reach an abandoned bus made famous by the book and film “Into the Wild.”
Veramika Maikamava, 24, and her husband, 24-year-old Piotr Markielau, on Thursday were heading for the bus where hiker Christopher McCandless met his death in 1992, The bus has been the source of multiple rescues since it was made famous, first by Jon Krakauer’s book published in 1996 and then by Sean Penn’s 2007 film. Both chronicled the life and death of McCandless, who hiked into the Alaska wilderness with little food and equipment and spent the summer living in the bus. McCandless was found dead in the bus almost four months later. Alaska State Troopers say Markielau called troopers in Fairbanks late Thursday to report his wife’s death during a hike.
Troopers say the couple was trying to cross the Teklanika River along the Stampede Trail near Healy when the woman was swept under water. The river was flowing high and fast because of recent rains. Troopers say Markielau reported he was able to pull his wife out of the water a short distance away downriver, but she had died by then.
