Anchorage Daily News

Alaska State Troopers and volunteer search teams spent Saturday searching for a teacher and his wife who went missing while snow machining between Kuskokwim Bay villages.

The couple, Michael and Rebecca Wier, were reported overdue Friday.

They were supposed to arrive in Bethel no later than 10:30 p.m. after traveling from Kwigillingok to Kongiganak and Tuntutuliak. Michael Weir had provided a fellow teacher with his trip itinerary and the couple reportedly was carrying survival gear for their trip, troopers said.

Trooper and Civil Air Patrol aircraft had to be recalled after setting out Saturday due to poor visibility, but the ground search was expanded during the day to include teams from Eek, Nunapitchuk, Kipnuk and Kasigluk, said Megan Peters, a troopers spokeswoman.

She said Saturday afternoon that search teams from other villages had returned to resupply for additional searching, and that Bethel Search and Rescue is helping to coordinate a larger search area.

So far, she said, the search has focused on areas along the Kuskokwim River and west to the Dull Lake.

Trail conditions for snowmachines have been deteriorating due to snowmelt, she said.

Anyone with information about the Wiers' location should call troopers at 1-800-478-9112.

Find Elizabeth Bluemink online at adn.com/contact/ebluemink or call 257-4317.

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