Latest news with #AlaskaStateTroopers
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Troopers recover body of Mekoryuk man after boat sank; 1 remains missing
May 29—Local searchers from Mekoryuk have recovered the body of one of two men missing after their boat sank off Nunivak Island, Alaska State Troopers said in an online update Thursday. The three men were out seal hunting in an Ocean Pro boat about 22-24 feet long when it sank in rough conditions in the area of Ikathleewik Bay southeast of Mekoryuk on Monday night. Alaska State Troopers initially said the men were in a smaller boat, but revised the size estimate. One man, a 19-year-old, was able to swim to shore, troopers said, but two other men weren't found. Local searchers had been combing the area since Tuesday, with a National Guard helicopter and a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 from Kodiak helping with the effort on Wednesday, troopers said. On Wednesday, the local searchers found the remains of Albert Williams, 65, according to troopers. Samuel Shavings, 72, has not been found. "The search for Shavings was suspended after extensive search efforts were made by boat and air," troopers said. The men had been out subsistence hunting for seals, Williams' daughter told Alaska's News Source. Mekoryuk is a village of about 300 people on Nunivak Island in Western Alaska.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
2 Men Still Missing After Memorial Day Boat Tragedy
Two men are still missing after their boat sank on May 26 off the coast of Western Alaska, according to a press release from the Alaska State Troopers (AST). Albert Williams, 65, and Samuel Shavings, 72, were riding on a 10-foot Ocean Pro vessel along with Williams's 19-year-old son in an area located near an island off the Bering Sea. Around 9 p.m. local time on Monday, authorities received a call that the boat had sunk amidst harsh 19-year-old passenger, whose name has not been publicly disclosed, was able to swim from the wreckage to shore, where he was transported to a medical clinic for treatment. At first, the AST reported that a second passenger had been extricated from the water. However, on May 27, the AST 'corrected' that report and confirmed that the older men are still missing. Williams's daughter, Dallas, told Alaska News Source that her father and brother had gone out to hunt for seals. 'They were looking—my dad hadn't gotten a seal yet this spring—so they went to go look for seals,' Dallas explained. 'It's a seasonal thing every spring.'Dallas continued, detailing how the boat reportedly sank: 'My brother says that [the sea] was getting really rough and they were taking water in from the motor side. And it just filled up with too much water. We have a whole bunch of family coming over to be with my mom so that we're not alone. A lot of people have been bringing food, so we haven't been alone at all since.' From Monday night into Tuesday morning, two local boats and a U.S. Coast Guard vessel searched for Williams and Shaver to no avail. On Tuesday, the Rescue Coordination Center launched a C-130 plane to aid in recovery efforts. A representative from the Alaska State Troopers did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Men's Journal.2 Men Still Missing After Memorial Day Boat Tragedy first appeared on Men's Journal on May 29, 2025
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Human remains found in sunken boat bring closure to Texas family's Alaska tragedy
Almost 10 months after a Texas family's boat capsized off the coast of Homer, Alaska, a search turned up human remains at the bottom of the bay. In August 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard searched for the missing boaters but suspended it without any sightings. David and Mary Maynard, of Troy, along with their two sons – 11-year-old Colton Maynard and 8-year-old Brantley Maynard – went missing after a 28-foot aluminum boat carrying eight people capsized approximately 16 miles west of Homer, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Texas Family Missing On Alaska Vacation After Boat Capsizes Off Coast Alaska State Troopers said they had three private companies – Support Vessels of Alaska, Vision Subsea, and Benthic Geoscience Inc – contact them to offer their professional tools to assist with the search. With their assistance, they were able to locate the missing boat. "In early May, the group was able to locate the vessel in 180 feet of water and, utilizing a remotely operated vehicle, they were able to positively identify it as the missing boat with potential human remains onboard," the Alaska State Troopers reported. Read On The Fox News App Since the discovery, divers have recovered three sets of remains from the sunken vessel and transported them to the State Medical Examiner's Office for positive identification and autopsy. Coast Guard Rescues 4 Passengers From Capsized Boat Off Florida Coast; 1 Dead, 5 Still Missing Next of kin have been notified and the Alaska Wildlife Troopers expressed their thanks to everyone who assisted in the recovery efforts. "The Alaska Wildlife Troopers would like to thank Support Vessels of Alaska, Vision Subsea, Benthic Geoscience Inc, and Alaska Dive Search, Rescue, and Recovery Team for their continued assistance with this search and recovery operation," they said. Click To Get The Fox News App A GoFundMe posted when the family first went missing said the Maynards "left a huge imprint on many people," from the laughter they brought to others to the "love and family-oriented connection they provided." It goes on to express how much they will be missed. "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," the GoFundMe article source: Human remains found in sunken boat bring closure to Texas family's Alaska tragedy
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
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Miami Herald
Man's body found months after ATV fell through ice, AK cops say. ‘Gentle heart'
The search for one of two people who fell into an icy river in Alaska more than two months ago is over, state troopers said. A private pilot spotted the body of Skye Rench, 32, from Wasilla, on May 22 near the mouth of the Susitna River, Alaska State Troopers said in a dispatch. Officials recovered the remains and took them to the state medical examiner's office, where they were identified, troopers said. Rench went missing March 6 along with another man, Sean Kendall, 42, from Anchorage, after the side-by-side ATV they were riding on fell through ice on the river in south central Alaska, McClatchy News previously reported. Three other people were on the ATV and escaped the icy water, troopers said, but Rench and Kendall 'were reported to have gone under the ice in the current.' Kendall hasn't yet been located, KTUU reported. The men were on assignment for Alaska Directional LLC, according to the Anchorage Daily News. The company offers services including directional drilling and utility installation, its website said. Rench grew up in Alaska and 'lived a life full of energy, passion, and love,' according to an obituary on the Frontiersman's website. He became an apprentice powerline man and then foreman, and he later started Helacomm Communications with three others, the obituary said. Rench, who was engaged to be married, was a devoted outdoorsman and had recently competed in the Iron Dog snowmobile race, an online fundraiser said, describing him as 'truly Alaskan to the core.' His obituary added that he had a tough side but a 'gentle heart,' and his 'impact on everyone he met is something we'll all carry with us. He's left behind countless memories and stories that will live on forever.'
