ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Two men died and another is presumed dead after an 18-foot skiff swamped on the Yukon River downriver from Alakanuk in southwest Alaska.
The bodies of 29-year-old Daniel Noble and 50-year-old Cyril Murphy were recovered. Twenty-four-year-old Stanton Shelton is missing. A fourth man, 21-year-old John Chikigak, was able to swim to shore.
All four men are from Nunam Iqua.
Chikigak tells Alaska State Troopers their boat’s hull was cracked Monday night and they attempted to bail incoming water but decided to pull the drain plug and plane the boat.
The boat’s motor was not strong enough to make the boat plane and it swamped and sank.
Chikigak took off most of his clothing and swam to shore. He spent the night on the riverbank and was found Tuesday.
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