There are still no results in the search for two travelers on a black Polaris IQ snowmachine traveling from Kotzebue to Selawik.
The two people, identified as 23-year-old Noorvik resident Shallain Adams and 32-year-old Selawik resident Clifford Griest, left Kotzebue at approximately 2am last Wednesday morning.
|
|
Troopers first received the report of the overdue snow machine at 2:30 pm the same day, and searchers were sent out to search the immediate area.
The next day, Thursday, the 11th Air Force Rescue Coordination Center launched aircraft to search for the travelers, as they did again on Friday. A private aircraft has also been flying the area in a Cessna 206 taking part in the search.
Over 70-80 searchers have taken part in the search over the weekend to locate Adams and Griest. Searchers from Kotzebue, Selawik, Noorvik, Kiana, Noatak and Buckland will be joined by additional searchers from Shungnak and and Ambler today as the search continues. They have yet to arrive at the community.
According to Barry Foster at the Selawik Rescue Coordination Center set up at the community building in Selawik, the travelers were last seen about nine miles outside of Kotzebue at about 5:15 am on Wednesday. Foster states that thus far, there are no leads in the search.
Foster also reports that the weather has been very bad throughout the weekend and reports quarter-mile visibilty and snow today. He says the weather is expected to continue to hamper search and rescue operations. The weather is forecast to remain poor until at least Tuesday night and into Wednesday.
It is unknown at this time how the two travelers were dressed for the 100-plus mile trip from Kotzebue to Selawik.





