Two Nome Office of Children Services workers spent more than 15 hours in their vehicle while temperatures dropped below zero and snow and fog set in Thursday night into Friday. Both are now back at home safe after they were stuck in the snow about 30 miles outside of Nome.

According to the Nome Police Department, Angel Garcia and Jenna Pixey were originally reported missing when they failed to appear at the Nome courthouse Friday morning. Later that morning Nome Police, Alaska State Troopers, Bering Air, and search and rescue resources responded to find Garcia and Pixey.

Search and rescue teams, with NPD support, located the two women at Mile 28 of the Kougarok Road late Friday afternoon, as the sun was setting. 

Garcia and Pixey said they drove out of town in a blue Ford Expedition, owned by the State of Alaska, to watch the northern lights Thursday night when they got stuck in the snow. The two OCS workers were brought back to Nome unharmed by 6pm Friday.

Image at top: Nome Police car, a file photo from Matthew F. Smith, KNOM.