At 4:40 on Wednesday afternoon Alaska State Troopers were alerted to a fatal boat collision on the Kuskokwim River.

According to AST a 119-foot tug was towing a 285-foot barge on the river near Oscarville when a 14-foot skiff collided the  rear end of the barge.

The skiff operator, 22-year-old Henry Alexie of Atmautluak, died despite life-saving attempts by the barge’s crew after they hauled him from the water.

Troopers believed that there may have been another person in the skiff and search efforts for that person were initiated. On Thursday, those fears were realized when searchers discovered and retrieved the remains of Joseph Martin, age 30 of Atmautluak from the river.

The investigation into the collision is underway and the victims’ next of kin were notified of the incident and their deaths.

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