Latest news with #AlaskaDepartmentofPublicSafety
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Family of 4 Vanished on Cross-Country Trip to Alaska and Human Remains Were Just Found
Human remains and a boat have been found in an Alaska bay several months after a Texas family went missing in the same area. The search for the family of four — David Maynard, 42, Mary Maynard, 37, Colton Maynard, 11, and Brantley Maynard, 8 — was launched in August 2024, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. State troopers said the family was labeled missing after the initial search of Kachemak Bay near Homer was unsuccessful. In April 2025, Alaska Wildlife Troopers were contacted by Support Vessels of Alaska, Vision Subsea, and Benthic Geoscience Inc., which 'offered use of their professional tools' to conduct a new search of the bay. By early May, the family's missing boat was found in 180 feet of water 'with potential human remains onboard.' Three sets of remains were recovered from the vessel from Tuesday, May 27, to Wednesday, May 28. State troopers said the remains were transported to the State Medical Examiner's Office for identification and autopsies, and that next of kin had been notified. Christi Wells, who provided a statement to the Anchorage Daily News on behalf of Mary Maynard's parents, said the mom was a traveling nurse while her husband had a lawn care business and stayed home with their kids. The Troy family enjoyed spending time with friends and family, as well as traveling, Wells stated. More than $21,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe campaign started to support the family's loved ones following their disappearance. 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. 'The Maynard's left a huge imprint on many people, from the laughter they brought to us, the love and family-oriented connection they provided,' wrote Tanashea Aviles, who organized the online fundraiser. She added, 'It is indescribable the void that will be left behind but I know if we come together as a family and a community they would know how much they meant to everyone.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Remains found in year-long search for missing family whose boat capsized off Alaska
Almost a year after the U.S. Coast Guard called off the search for a Texas family of four whose boat capsized off the coast of south-central Alaska, their vessel and human remains have been recovered, officials announced on Wednesday. The discovery was made possible after three private Alaskan companies volunteered their services in April, including the use of sonar equipment for underwater searches, according to a statement from the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Earlier this month, they found the missing boat along with human remains in 180 feet (55 meters) of water in Kachemak Bay near Homer, the department said. Mapped: Kachemak Bay Divers from the state were then able to recover three sets of remains from the sunken vessel during dives on Tuesday and Wednesday. The remains have been taken to the State Medical Examiner's Office to perform autopsies and identify them, according to the public safety department. It did not say how long identifying the remains would take. The missing family from Troy, Texas, includes Mary Maynard, 37, and David Maynard, 42, along with sons Colton, 11, and Brantley, 8, according to the statement. A GoFundMe was launched for the family. The search for the family was launched in August after a report came in that a 28-foot (8.5-meter) aluminum boat carrying eight people had begun taking on water, the U.S. Coast Guard said at the time. The Coast Guard notified other ships in the area of the situation, and a boat nearby rescued four people. The Coast Guard scoured Kachemak Bay and Alaska search and rescue crews tried to use sonar equipment to find the family, according to the state's public safety department. But they were not successful and by the next evening, the search was suspended. Christi Wells, who provided a statement on behalf of Mary Maynard's parents at the time, said the family enjoyed spending time with friends and relatives, and traveling, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Mary Maynard was a traveling nurse and David Maynard stayed at home with the children and had a lawn care business, she said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- 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
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Yahoo
Alaska Mom Charged After Allegedly Leaving Toddler Alone in Freezing Car to Attend ‘Romantic Rendezvous' at a Hotel
A mother in Alaska has been charged after allegedly leaving her child unattended in a car while having a 'romantic rendezvous' at a hotel. The Alaska Department of Public Safety State Troopers division said in a news release that 38-year-old Lillian Johnson was arrested on a first-degree charge of endangering the welfare of a child. On Tuesday, Mach 18, dispatchers received a call from a concerned citizen who heard a child crying in a parked car. When troopers arrived to investigate, they found a 20-month-old child 'abandoned in a car' parked at a local hotel and bar in Healy, Alaska, according to the release. 'The child was crying, the vehicle was off, with a window partly opened with outside temperatures at 6 degrees Fahrenheit,' state troopers said. EMS personnel were called to the scene, where they 'removed the child from the vehicle' and treated the them for 'hypothermia.' The child was then transported by medics to 'the EMS/Fire Department for additional treatment,' per the release. 'The child was treated for early stages of hypothermia,' state troopers said. Authorities stated that the child's mother was not 'immediately found' when the toddler was transported for additional medical treatment. However, she 'exited the hotel after EMS had already left with her child.' Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Alaska State Troopers launched an investigation into the incident and obtained hotel security video from that night, which allegedly shows that Johnson was inside the hotel for about 35 minutes from approximately 8:18 p.m. local time until 8:53 p.m., 'before returning to check on the child' and finding the 20-month-old said their investigation found that Johnson had 'left her child in the car to have a romantic rendezvous with a guest at the hotel.'State troopers didn't provide any other information on the incident or any updates on the child's in babies occurs when their 'body's temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit,' per to St. John Ambulance, babies can develop hypothermia easily because their bodies 'have an underdeveloped mechanism for maintaining their own body temperature.' Signs of hypothermia in an infant include blotchy skin, being cold to the touch and being limp. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
All 10 people on missing plane that crashed in Alaska confirmed dead
All 10 people aboard a small plane that went missing and was later discovered crashed in Alaska have been confirmed dead, officials said in a statement. The Alaska Department of Public Safety said Saturday that all aboard the plane — nine passengers and one pilot — died. The plane had been traveling from Unalakleet to Nome on Thursday when it went missing. It was found crashed on Friday. The Alaska State Troopers positively identified all 10 victims on the plane after they were recovered and brought to Nome, Alaska DPS said in a statement. The dead were identified as pilot Chad Antill, 34, of Nome; Liane Ryan, 52, of Wasilla; Donnell Erickson, 58, of Nome; Andrew Gonzalez, 30, of Wasilla; Kameron Hartvigson, 41, of Anchorage; Rhone Baumgartner, 46, of Anchorage; Jadee Moncur, 52, of Eagle River; Ian Hofmann, 45, of Anchorage; Talaluk Katchatag, 34, of Unalakleet; and Carol Mooers, 48; of Unalakleet. At a news conference earlier Saturday, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said the first priority of recovery efforts was recovering the victims. Then, the NTSB — which was investigating the crash — and responding agencies would work on recovering the wreckage. Three people were found dead inside the wreckage of the plane Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The agency said at the time that the seven others who were on the plane were "believed to be inside the aircraft, which was inaccessible due to the condition of the plane." "The Coast Guard determined the severity of the wreckage was beyond the possibility of survival," it said Friday. Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium said in a statement that two of its employees, Baumgartner and Hartvigson, died in the crash. The company said the pair had traveled to Unalakleet "to service a heat recovery system that is critical to the community's water plant." Officials have said the Bering Air Cessna Caravan took off from Unalakleet, on the east coast of Norton Sound in western Alaska, and was headed to Nome around 140 miles away. The plane took off at 2:37 p.m. Thursday, Bering Air Director of Operations David Olson told NBC affiliate KTUU of Anchorage. At around 3:18 p.m., radar analysis showed "this aircraft experienced some kind of event which caused them to experience a rapid loss in elevation and a rapid loss in speed," Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble said at a news briefing Friday. The wreckage was found about 34 miles southeast of Nome, the Coast Guard said. The three bodies recovered Friday were found in the forward part of the aircraft by two Coast Guard swimmers, the agency said. The Nome Volunteer Fire Department, with assistance from the Alaska National Guard, said Friday it activated its search and rescue team for the recovery effort. Nome and Unalakleet are not serviced by the state's highway system. Air and water or snowmobile and trails are the main forms of transport between the two. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Friday that he and his wife, Rose, "are heartbroken by the loss of the 10 people on the Bering Air flight" and said their "prayers are with the families, friends, and communities mourning this tragedy." Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, thanked all those who responded and braved the elements to search for the plane, and said Friday that "my heart is broken over the news out of Nome." "Alaska is a big small town," she said. "When tragedy strikes, we're never far removed from the Alaskans directly impacted. But that also means we come together as a community to grieve and heal." This article was originally published on
