UPDATE: Ground searchers dispatched from Nome were able to locate the two men. THey were sheltered in a shelter cabin on Thursday.

The National Guard Blackhawk helicopter rendezvoused to their location and transported them back to Nome.

ORIGINAL: Alaska State Troopers report that the search for two Brevig Mission travelers is continuing today after Wednesday’s search came up with negative results.

Two men from Brevig Mission, 23-year-old Brandon Tocktoo and 34-year-old Thomas Olanna, set out for Nome, 72 miles distant, at 2 pm on Tuesday afternoon. It was reported that the men did not have extra fuel, and did not take extra food with them.

A call went in to Nome-based AST at 9:06 pm on Tuesday night, when the duo, both on a single Polaris snowmachine, did not arrive in Nome as planned. At the time of their trek south to Nome, a ground storm, with limited visibility had moved into the region around Brevig Mission.

Nome Search and Rescue Group dispatched three searchers to cover the roadway between the two communities, but, after covering 20 miles, they elected to return “due to high winds and poor visibility. Three searchers that dispatched from Brevig Mission turned back because of similar conditions. 

A National Guard Blackhawk helicopter, with SAR volunteers, out of Nome was dispatched and able to conduct a short aerial search, but returned to Nome after two hours because of high winds. The Blackhawk, as of mid-morning, was expected to taking up the search again today.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]

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