Clinton Abarca Missing Person Case

Mar 11, 2020

May 07, 2024

Clinton

Abarca

43

26

69 inches

170 lbs

American Indian / Alaska Native

Male

In the remote expanse of Alaska, a journey turned tragic for a group of friends in the summer of 2007. On July 28th, 26-year-old Clinton Abarca, along with three companions, departed from Igiugig around midnight. They set out in a skiff, their destination the village of Kokhanok, a 40-mile trip across the vast and frigid waters of Lake Iliamna. The group consisted of Clinton Abarca, Chad Rawls, 23, Vince Rickteroff, 19, and Lance Hobson, 26. The friends were well-acquainted with the Alaskan wilderness and the waters they were navigating, but the lake's unpredictable nature would soon present a challenge that would alter their lives forever. The journey took a disastrous turn when the skiff's anchor unexpectedly dropped and caught on the lakebed, causing the boat to flip at least twice. This sudden and violent event plunged all four men into the dangerously cold water. One of the men, Lance Hobson, managed to surface and found the overturned boat. He and his friends clung to the hull, praying for a rescue that was still days away. The hope that sustained them in the initial moments of their ordeal would be tested by the harsh realities of survival in the Alaskan wild. For two of the men, this desperate fight for life would ultimately be their last. A search was initiated after the group failed to arrive in Kokhanok as planned. On July 30th, an aerial search located Lance Hobson alive, having survived for three days atop the capsized skiff. The following day, the body of Vince Rickteroff was recovered from the water. Despite extensive search efforts, Clinton Abarca and Chad Rawls were never found. The official search was eventually called off, and they are presumed to have perished in the frigid waters of Lake Iliamna. The incident serves as a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan wilderness and the profound loss experienced by the families and community who await answers that may never come.

Jul 28, 2007

Igiugig

Alaska

Lake and Peninsula Borough

No

77057

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

070064370

2007-07-29

Alaska State Troopers

8513

Black

Brown

Brown

No

06/25/2026