On August 30, 2022, a sense of unease began to settle over Bethel, Alaska, when a planned boat trip on the Kuskokwin River turned into a desperate search. Carl Joseph Flynn, a 27-year-old male, along with his two friends, Shane McIntyre and Justin Crow, had ventured out onto the river. The group's intention was to set up a moose camp and return to Bethel later that same day. As hours turned into night, their failure to return sparked immediate concern, prompting Bethel Search and Rescue to initiate a search for the three men and their KingFisher boat, described as gray-black with 'Extreme Shallow' written on its side.
The days that followed were filled with intensive search efforts as volunteers and agencies scoured the vast and challenging terrain of the Kuskokwim River. Searchers soon discovered debris believed to be from the missing boat in an area known as Straight Slough. The search involved multiple boats, sonar equipment, and even a specialized dive team to scan the river's depths. Tragically, the search for the three men yielded heartbreaking results for two of the families. On September 22, the body of Shane McIntyre was recovered near the small boat harbor in Bethel. Just a day later, on September 23, Justin Crow's remains were found nearly 20 miles downriver in Napakiak Slough. The discoveries confirmed the community's worst fears but left one family still waiting for answers.
With two of the three boaters found, the search efforts pivoted and expanded, focusing entirely on bringing Carl Flynn home. Volunteers from Bethel and surrounding villages, along with organizations like Bethel Search and Rescue, continued to diligently comb the lower Kuskokwim River, from Bethel to its mouth. Despite these extensive and persistent efforts, the boat itself was not located. The case remains a painful mystery for the community and a source of unending grief for the Flynn family, who held a memorial service on October 22, 2022, to honor him. The tragic boating incident resulted in the confirmed deaths of Shane McIntyre and Justin Crow, while Carl Flynn remains missing, an enduring and sorrowful chapter in the history of the region.
Last Seen: Aug 30, 2022
