An extensive ground and air search for three missing people, including a 5-year-old child, traveling by snowmachine in Southwest Alaska ended when the group was found Saturday afternoon, but one of the men was dead, searchers said.
A man, his brother and his child became separated in a storm from the fourth member of their traveling party as they headed from Kwethluk to Russian Mission on Christmas Eve, said Mike Riley, head of Bethel Search and Rescue.
The fourth person -- the father and grandfather of the others -- made it to Russian Mission early Christmas morning and when the others weren't there, he backtracked for them, Riley said. But he couldn't find them. Searchers from a number of villages began looking on Christmas and more joined in on Saturday.
Retired state troopers pilot Earl Samuelson and two spotters found the missing group around 3:20 p.m. about 40 miles north of Bethel in a stand of trees, Riley said. One of the men was dead, said Perry Barr, a Bethel search team member and retired trooper.
They were ferried by snowmachine to Russian Mission later in the afternoon.
The travelers had encountered a ground storm with whiteout conditions as they tried to make their way along the trails connecting the remote villages. One snowmachine was found in a foot of water, Barr said.
Search teams from Akiachak, Russian Mission, Marshall, Kasigluk, Pilot Station, Kalskag and Bethel all helped in the search, rescuers said. Troopers sent up a plane. Several dozen people participated, Barr said.
Troopers on Saturday night didn't immediately have details on the death and the search.
Correction: An earlier version of this story described the child as the son of one of the men. The child's sex was not confirmed as of Saturday night.