2 found safe after searches

MAT-SU — A pair of helicopter-assisted searches served as bookends for Alaska State Troopers this weekend.

The first search came at 10:37 p.m., Thursday when Kenneth Eugene Marsh, 49, of Anchorage, reportedly got disoriented while out hunting and couldn’t find his way back to his vehicle.

At 12:35 a.m., Friday, Troopers launched their helicopter, which found Marsh at 1:09 a.m., picked him up and took him back to his vehicle. He was not hurt and was in good health.

Marsh, who works for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said he was happy to say he’s safe and sound now.

“And with my moose in the bag to boot!,” he said.

The second search, at 1:51 p.m., Sunday, had troopers searching the Jim Creek area where Mary C. Weir, 44, of Palmer, had left her campsite Friday on an ATV and had not returned.

Troopers say they spotted Weir from the air at around 6:55 p.m. She was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.