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Two Bird Hunters Drown Outside Gambell

An aerial view of a large island on a cloudy day

Alaska State Troopers (AST) have recovered the bodies of two men from the Aghanaghak Lagoon near Gambell.

Troopers believe 51- year old Mark Nupowhotuk, Jr. and 37- year old Michael James of Gambell were trying to cross the lagoon when their four- wheeler sank. Gambell’s Chief of Police Robert Apatiki reports the men were allegedly bird hunting and believes they were trying to cross the cape at the shallow point but were likely swept into deeper water.

According to AST, on October 15th, a local resident alerted the Nome Trooper post that one body had been discovered about ten miles outside of Gambell. Troopers responded and recovered both men.

Their bodies have been sent to the Medical Examiner in Anchorage for autopsy.

Image at top: An aerial view of St. Lawrence Island. Photo from Laura Kraegel, KNOM (2015).

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We acknowledge that KNOM Radio Mission is located on the customary lands of Indigenous peoples. 

Based in the Bering Strait region, KNOM broadcasts throughout the homelands of the Iñupiaq, Siberian Yup’ik, Cup’ik and Yup’ik peoples.