Authorities release name of
California man missing in Alaska
June 22, 2018
Houston Chronicle
KING SALMON, Alaska (AP) — The National Park Service has released the name of a California man missing on a river trip in Alaska. The agency says 72-year-old John Squires of Sacramento was one of three people in raft that flipped Tuesday in American Creek. The creek is within Katmai (KAT-meye) National Park and Preserve northwest of Kodiak Island.
The other two people in the raft swam to opposite shores. They hiked downstream on their respective sides to a guided camp, where campers used a satellite telephone to contact a lodge. Park Service rangers, the Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers and volunteers searched for Squires by air and raft. State and federal authorities on Thursday afternoon suspended the search for Squires.
Man missing after raft flips
in Katmai National Park
Kortnie Horazdovsky
Posted: Fri 7:40 AM, Jun 22, 2018
ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - A 72-year-old man is missing in Katmai National park after his raft flipped on American Creek.
Park officials say the California man was in a raft that flipped over on Tuesday, June 19, and was last seen floating in the creek. The two other people in the raft with him were able to make it to opposite shores of the creek and hike downstream to a camp, where others used a satellite phone to call a nearby lodge.
Park rangers, the Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers and lodge staff searched for the man, but by Friday morning, the formal search has been called off after no sign of the man was found.
The Park Service has not released the man’s name, but says he had extensive experience rafting Alaskan rivers. The man was not wearing a life jacket when the raft flipped.
Man missing in Katmai National Park after raft flips on American Creek
June 21, 2018
National Park Service
Contact: Peter Christian
KING SALMON, Alaska—On 6/20/18, Katmai National Park was notified of a person missing after a rafting incident on American Creek. The individual, a 72-year old man, was last seen floating on the creek on the afternoon of 6/19 when the raft he was in flipped over. Three people were in the raft when it flipped. Two of them made it to opposite shores and were able to hike, on their respective sides of the creek, downstream to guided camp. The people at the camp used a satellite telephone to contact a nearby lodge and report the incident.
An extensive search of the area was performed by a rafting crew, helicopters, and fixed wing aircraft. NPS Rangers received assistance from Rainbow River Lodge, the US Coast Guard, and the Alaska State Troopers.
As of 6/22, no signs of the missing man have been found. Formal search efforts are suspended until any new evidence of the missing man’s location is discovered. However, pilots that operate frequently in the area have been notified of the incident and are planning to continue searching.
The name of the missing man, out of Sacramento California, is being held pending notification of family. The man had extensive experience rafting on Alaskan rivers. He was not wearing a PFD at the time of the incident.
