Alaska Department Of Public Safety,State Troopers Public Information Office

Dispatch Text:

Update: After two weeks of searching the Nushagak River and surrounding area with multiple aircraft, specialized dives teams, K9 teams, and countless volunteers from the surrounding area, the Alaska State Troopers are changing search strategies today. Troopers will be switching from an active search to a reactive search, due to no probable areas left to search. If new information, evidence, or tips are made known to Troopers, search strategies may be changed at that time. Coopchiak is still considered missing, and no foul play is suspected. We greatly appreciate all the help from volunteer search teams and members of the community over the last two weeks. If you have first-hand information that has not yet been reported to law enforcement, please contact the Alaska State Troopers at (907) 842-5641. 

Original: On October 7, 2023, at 12:29 pm, Alaska State Troopers received a report from the VPSO in Koliganek of a swamped boat on the Nushagak River near Lewis Point. A group of searchers responded to the area. The empty boat with no identifying registration numbers was found but no one was located in the area. On October 9, 2023, further information was received that Kelly Coopchiak, age 25 of Togiak, had likely been in the boat. An air search was conducted by an Alaska State Parks plane and a US Fish and Wildlife helicopter. Cabins in the area were also searched but Coopchiak was not located. Search efforts are continuing with Alaska State Troopers and Dillingham Search and Rescue searching the river by boat. The search and investigation are ongoing.