Alaska Department Of Public Safety,State Troopers Public Information Office

Dispatch Text:

Update: On Saturday November 1, at 9:04 pm, the man rescued from the water, Elmer Brown Sr., age 46 of Kotzebue, died at a local area health clinic.Next of kin have been notified. Search efforts are continuing for the missing man. AST is coordinating with the Northwest Arctic Borough Search and Rescue program as well as other local agencies.  

On November 1, 2025, at 11:20 am, the Alaska State Troopers received a report that three men riding one snowmachine, and two 4-wheelers north of Kotzebue went through the ice near Lockhart Point. One of the men made it safely to shore, one of the men was rescued by searchers and medical personnel and is now being transported to a local area health clinic, and the third man is missing. All three men are from Kotzebue.  
 
Prior to AST being notified, multiple local EMT personnel and local community members were already on scene, rendering aide and searching for the third man. The Northwest Arctic Borough Search and Rescue and Kotzebue Fire Department are responding.