North Slope Borough police said Friday they are investigating the death of an unidentified woman whose body was found along the coast about 13 miles south of Point Hope.
Borough police were notified Thursday that human remains had been found. Officers went to the area and recovered the body. The remains will be flown to Anchorage for an autopsy and identification, Police Chief Leon Boyea said Friday.
The borough has no recent open cases of missing women, he said.
Police aren't releasing details about how the woman was found or whether foul play is suspected. Investigators ask anyone with information about what may have happened to call police at 907-852-6111.
Police don't see any immediate similarities to a case of a woman whose body was found about seven miles south of Barrow on July 5, 2012.
In that case, an autopsy of Eliza Mae Simmonds was inconclusive, and police are treating her death as a homicide, Boyea said. A family member reported her missing on May 18, 2012, and police and volunteers searched for her for days. He wouldn't say why it's considered suspicious.
Reach Lisa Demer at ldemer@adn.com or 257-4390.
By LISA DEMER