Boater dies when skiff strikes barge on Kuskokwim River

A 22-year-old man died Wednesday afternoon when his skiff ran into the back of a large barge being towed on the Kuskokwim River, Alaska State Troopers said.

Authorities were working to determine if there was a second person aboard the skiff and a search was ongoing Thursday, troopers said.

Henry Alexie is the third person to die this week while boating on the Kuskokwim River. A woman and man died in separate incidents and one person remains missing after a boat capsized Tuesday. Search groups continued on Thursday to look on the Nushagak River for a woman after her boat was found swamped on Saturday, troopers spokesman Tim DeSpain said.

Alexie, of Atmautluak, was operating a 14-foot skiff near Oscarville when he ran into a 285-foot barge towed by a 119-foot tugboat, troopers said. “Crew members of the barge recovered Alexie from the water and attempted lifesaving measures but were unsuccessful.”

It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the skiff to run into the barge, but the investigation was ongoing, DeSpain said. Alexie was not wearing a life jacket, but investigators found life jackets in the boat, he said.

Oscarville is 6 miles southwest of Bethel. A search was already underway near the area on Thursday for 31-year-old Alexander Henry, who went missing Tuesday after the boat he was on capsized.