https://www.alaskasnewssource....n-fall-near-cordova/


Massachusetts hunter killed in mountain fall near Cordova

Troopers say a 67-year-old man from Massachusetts was killed while goat hunting; another hunter survived with serious injuries



Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025
By Lars Hanson

Published: Oct. 2, 2025 at 7:22 PM CDT|Updated: 11 hours ago


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A 67-year-old man from Massachusetts died Wednesday after falling while goat hunting in Cordova, Alaska State Troopers said.

Troopers received a report around 10:45 a.m. Wednesday that John DeLuca had fallen from Queen’s Chair, a popular hunting area outside Cordova. He was found injured and unresponsive.

The U.S. Coast Guard responded to the scene by helicopter and transported DeLuca to a clinic in Cordova, where he was pronounced dead.

Another hunter with DeLuca was also flown out with serious injuries but is expected to survive, troopers said.


DeLuca’s next of kin has been notified. His body will be transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office.

https://www.newbedfordguide.co...aska-hunt/2025/10/03


Massachusetts grandfather perishes after fatal tumble during dream Alaska hunt

NewBedfordGuide 2 hours ago

A seasoned goat hunter from Massachusetts met a fatal end during an expedition in the steep, forested hills outside Cordova, underscoring the raw hazards of Alaska’s backcountry pursuits.

John DeLuca, 67, was navigating the challenging slopes of Queen’s Chair—a jagged outcrop east of town, hugging the shores of Eyak Lake—when disaster struck on October 1. Around 10:45 a.m., while traversing a precarious ledge beneath a ridgeline with a family member, DeLuca slipped, triggering a chain of events that sent both tumbling down the mountainside.

The initial drop measured about 100 feet, but DeLuca continued sliding another 300 to 400 feet, suffering injuries that left him unresponsive at the base of the slope.


Alaska Wildlife Troopers, alerted promptly by the hunting party, coordinated a swift aerial rescue. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter swooped in by 12:45 p.m., hoisting DeLuca and his injured companion to Cordova’s community clinic.

There, medical staff confirmed DeLuca’s passing later that afternoon, while the relative—dealing with substantial but non-fatal trauma—remains hospitalized and on track for recovery.

Alaskan State Trooper’s spokesperson Tess Williams recounted the ordeal in a dispatch: “The person he was hunting with tried to grab him and they both fell about 100 feet.” Queen’s Chair, a favored spot for mountain goat stalks, draws enthusiasts for its panoramic vistas but demands expert footing and vigilance.

The same fate almost befell me years ago.

But I thought a non-resident hunter has to hunt with a guide.

His son is probably a resident