Alaska State Troopers revealed on Wednesday that they were conducting a death investigation into an October 15th incident in the Ganbell area.

According to their posting on the trooper dispatch, Nome-based troopers were notified of the discovery of a body in the Aghnaghak Lagoon approximately 10 miles outside of Gambell on the afternoon of October 15th.

When they responded to the St Lawrence Island community, they would retrieve two bodies from the lagoon and transport them to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy.

Troopers report that the two men, both Gambell residents, Mark Nupowhotuk Jr., 51, and Michael James, 37, are believed to have been attempting to cross the lagoon on a four-wheeler, and sank.

Next of kin have been notified.

  accident, aghnaghak, atv, death, deceased, four wheeler, gambell, investigation, lagoon, michael james, nupowhotuk, st lawrence island