FAIRBANKS-At about 4 in the morning on Independence Day, the Alaska State Troopers received a call of a missing person at Harding Lake, south of Fairbanks. A grid search was conducted by boat and a 10-12 member dive team from Fort Wainwright Fire Department was also in the water. Six PAWS dogs with four handlers was also employed. Alaska Wildlife troopers were also on the scene with a Supercub.

Patrick Hunsberger, age 25 of Fairbanks apparently got on a jet-ski at approximately 1 o’clock in the morning and went for a ride on the lake. A preliminary search by his friends when he didn’t show back up was unsuccessful. They found the Jet-ski adrift on the far shore during the search. The key was removed from the machine.

The water conditions were choppy the early morning that Hunsberger disappeared. He was not wearing a life-jacket at the time of his disappearance and alcohol is considered a factor.