Palmer men found during third day of search

EUREKA -- A search for two snowmachiners who have been missing in the Eureka area since Sunday ended successfully at about 11 a.m. Wednesday with the discovery of the men by an air search team.

Troopers report that Bill Nichols, 44, and George Ahumada, 55, both of Palmer, were spotted from the air by searchers aboard Alaska State Troopers Helo 1. They reportedly had entered a box canyon and could not get out, subsequently spending two days in a cabin with an oil stove. According to troopers, the men, who are reported to be in good condition, were transported out by helicopter to meet their families and to be de-briefed.

Troopers were notified at about 9 a.m. on Monday that the men had failed to return from a Sunday snowmachine trip. They had reportedly parked their black 2000 GMC extended cab pickup with two-place tilt trailer at Mile 130 Glenn Hwy. and left in an unknown direction.

According to reports, a ground search was initially coordinated by the troopers, local Copper Basin search and rescue members, members of the families of the missing men and numerous volunteers. In addition, the troopers' helicopter Helo 1 was used to conduct an air search as light and weather permitted.

Wednesday morning found search teams gearing up for the third day of the search. Six ground search teams were joined by the 11th Rescue Coordination Center of the Alaska Air National Guard, who provided a Beaver aircraft from the Birchwood Civil Air Patrol. British Petroleum also supplied a fixed-wing Otter aircraft and a helicopter. The troopers' Helo 1 remained part of the search and rescue effort.

Sgt. Duane Stone, Glennallen trooper post supervisor, coordinated what turned out to be a successful search effort that took advantage of favorable weather to make good use of the aircraft.

"With the number of aircraft available, we hope to cover quite a bit of ground this morning," he said on Wednesday morning prior to the discovery of the missing men.

"The weather is a high ceiling with low winds, so as long as the weather holds up we're going to concentrate on the air search."