Seven boaters went missing while the seal hunting in western Alaska. Search teams have looked in western Alaska for more than a week without any success. 

Photo via abcnews

Search Efforts Intensify for Missing Boat with Seven People Near Quinhagak, Alaska

A search operation is underway after a group of seven individuals went missing in a 22-foot aluminum boat off the coast of Quinhagak, Alaska. The group, which includes three men who originally set out from the village of Quinhagak on October 17, picked up four more people in the nearby community of Bethel before heading toward Eek Island, the closest community to Quinhagak. Their last known location was on October 20, near Eek Island, but they have not been heard from since.

The Search for the Missing Vessel John Peter, the Quinhagak Tribal Police Chief, shared that the group left Eek Island with only about 10 gallons of gas, which may not have been sufficient for the return trip to Quinhagak. The boat was heavily loaded with passengers and other equipment, increasing the risk of capsizing, Chief Peter stated.

Search teams from Eek, as well as nearby communities of Kongiganak and Goodnews Bay, have joined the effort to locate the missing boat and its passengers. Former tribal police officer Jerry Brown has been leading the search efforts in Quinhagak, where teams are scouring the coastline and nearby creeks for any signs of debris.

The Importance of Community Involvement in the Search Brown emphasized that the search has intensified with boats heading south along the coastline and north towards areas where the group may have been stranded. "We're trying to check the creeks before the tide goes out, hoping to find any clues," Brown said. The collaboration between the communities of Quinhagak, Eek, Kongiganak, and Goodnews Bay highlights the importance of local knowledge and community support in these kinds of search and rescue operations.