A teenage girl who was trapped on a boat stuck overnight Saturday in the Kialik River was found dead Monday after she went overboard, according to Alaska State Troopers.
The incident that led to the death of 14-year-old Ann Frank began Saturday night, when a boat carrying five people -- three adults and an infant along with Frank -- ran aground en route from Bethel to Tuntutuliak. Troopers said in a Tuesday dispatch they were informed of the incident at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
"At approximately (11 p.m. Saturday), the boat struck a sandbar near the mouth of the Kialik River and became stuck," troopers wrote. "The boaters spent the night in the boat. When the group awoke the next morning they discovered that Ann was no longer on the boat."
Volunteers from Tuntutuliak, a community of about 430 people roughly 40 miles southwest of Bethel, began a ground search supported by trooper aircraft for Frank. Her body was spotted on a riverbank across from the village at about 3:30 p.m. Monday and was recovered by Alaska Wildlife Troopers who landed nearby in a floatplane.
Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said in an email Tuesday that the boat involved in the incident was a small skiff. She said troopers didn't find any indication that anyone aboard had a life jacket, but that its other occupants had safely escaped the sandbar.
"They self-rescued and are all fine," Peters wrote.
Frank's remains will be sent to the state medical examiner's office for an autopsy.