SAR in New Stuyahok

Alaska State Troopers received a report on July 11, 2023, at 10:25 am, of an unoccupied skiff going in circles in the Nushagak River just downstream from the village of Ekwok. An investigation revealed that Michael Gust, age 42 of New Stuyahok and Joseph Gust, age 33 of New Stuyahok, were reported to be sport fishing from the skiff and were reported to have departed on July 10 around 1:00 pm. Troopers from Dillingham and King Salmon searched the area by air and by skiff and did not locate the two men. At 10:15 pm on July 11, 2023, Michael Gust showed up in the village of Ekwok however Joseph Gust was still missing. Search efforts for Joseph continued on July 12, with a ground search team, a vessel search team, and AWT searching by air. Joseph has not been located and search efforts are continuing.