Search underway for Nashville couple missing for a week on Alaska vacation

Kirsten Fiscus, USA TODAY
·2 min read
7

Alaska authorities are searching for two Tennesseans who have been missing for about a week.

Jonas Bare, 50, and Cynthia Hovsepian, 37, were on vacation in Fairbanks but didn't make their return flight home and haven't contacted family members, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

After state troopers found the couple's car at the the Chena Hot Springs Resort more than an hour east of downtown Fairbanks, they launched a search with rescue crews, helicopters, drones, all-terrain vehicles and K9 teams.

"Search efforts are ongoing," the agency said in a news release.

The couple had checked into an Airbnb in the downtown Fairbanks area on Aug. 9 and were supposed to check out two days later on the 11th, Fairbanks police said in a Facebook post. All their belongings were found in inside.

They were reported missing on Aug. 12.

Timeline

  • Bare posted on Facebook a picture of the Alaskan Airlines plane he was to take to Alaska on Aug. 6. The next day he was having brunch in Anchorage, according to a picture on Facebook.

  • On Aug. 8 he posted a photo from Denali National Park and noted they were planning to leave for a base camp early the next morning. That was the last post on Bare's Facebook page.

  • The two checked into an Airbnb in downtown Fairbanks on Aug. 9 and were scheduled to check out two days later, as well as return a rental car, Fairbanks police said.

  • Personal belongings were found in the short-term rental and the vehicle was discovered Sunday at Chena Hot Springs Resort.

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What to do if you are lost on a hike

Chena Hot Springs Resort boasts several miles of hiking trails around the area at varying levels of difficulty but warns that there is no cellphone reception on the trails, it is easy to get lost and bear and moose encounters are possible.

The United States Forest Service recommends that lost hikers follow the S.T.O.P. protocol.

  • Stop: Once someone realizes they are lost they should stop and not move unless they have a reason to.

  • Think: Attempt to remember landmarks or previous points on the hike. Stay calm, panic is the greatest enemy.

  • Observe: Use any tools available to determine direction. Hikers should remain on trails if they are on one.

  • Plan: Come up with possible plans and utilize one if confident in it. Be mindful of the remaining daylight and if nightfall is near stay put.

The Forest service also recommends avoiding hiking to the point of exhaustion and to stay hydrated.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Search on for Nashville couple missing for a week on Alaska vacation