A man and a woman have been found dead outside Nome after going missing while traveling by snowmachine from Teller to Nome. The pair was initially reported missing on Monday.
Alaska State Troopers were first notified around 7:00 AM Monday morning that Charlene Habros, 34 of Nome, and Dustin Gologergen, 55 of Nome, had been travelling from Teller to Nome, but had not reached their destination and were long overdue. The report claimed that both were sharing a single snowmachine on the trip.
Search teams from Teller and Nome were requested by AST to initiate a ground search, however, the Teller SAR Team was initially unavailable. The Nome SAR was able to make it to mile 23 of the Nome-Teller road before having to return due to a ground storm. The Alaska State Troopers chartered a helicopter to search from the air; however, weather prevented the helicopter from flying in the search area. The Alaska National Guard deployed a C130 to the search area, which located a snowmachine near mile 41 with no signs of the two.
Then, Alaska State Troopers chartered a helicopter to search from the air, but once again weather prevented the helicopter from flying in the search area. The Alaska National Guard deployed a C130 to search for the missing pair. The C130 crew located a snowmachine near mile 41 with no signs of Habros or Gologergen.
A Teller-based SAR team was unable to reach the site overnight due to the poor weather, and road-clearing crews from Nome were also unable to make it to the site from the Nome side.
AST provided an update Monday night, stating, “Teams are working to make it to the snowmachine; however, extreme weather is preventing a safe method of travel for ground or aerial teams. Once weather allows, search teams will travel to the area.”
A search team was finally able to make it to the snowmachine the following day, and at approximately 3:15 PM, Habros and Gologergen were located and pronounced dead.
Next of Kin have been notified.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing.