Search ongoing for missing boaters

photo by Greg Lincoln

Alaska State Troopers (AST) in Bethel received a report of overdue boaters from Quinhagak on 10/21/2020 at about 1200 hours. It was reported that Chad Chadwick, Sr., Elizabeth Wassillie, Michael Sharp, Alexie Nose, and Wilson Wassillie left Quinhagak on 10/17/2020. Their boat is described as a 22 foot welded aluminum boat with a Yamaha outboard motor. The party reportedly did not have hunting or survival gear.

Searchers from Quinhagak did not find any sign of the missing party on the evening of 10/21/2020. A search of Quinhagak for the aforementioned individuals and their boat was unsuccessful. Searching continued on 10/22/2020. Searchers in boats from Quinhagak and Eek searched the area of the Eek River and the coast between Quinhagak and Eek, but did not locate the missing party. A DPS Cessna Caravan with spotters from Bethel Search and Rescue (BSAR) searched the area of Kuskokwim Bay between Napakiak, Quinhagak, and Kongiganak, but did not locate any boats matching the description given. The USCG C-130 from Kodiak also joined search efforts. A follow up report indicated that two more people, Neal Gutleben and Bernice Waska, had also been on the missing vessel and were not accounted for. Search efforts are ongoing.