Joshua Nove Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Sep 12, 2023

Joshua

Nove

52

23

70 inches

175 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the vast and remote wilderness of the Alaska Peninsula, 23-year-old Joshua B. Nove was pursuing his passion for ornithology. On July 3, 1997, the young man from Massachusetts was working as a volunteer intern for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge. A recent magna cum laude graduate from Amherst College with a degree in biology, Joshua had dedicated his time to studying and preserving bird populations, a passion that had defined him since childhood. That evening, while working with a team to band birds near Mother Goose Lake, a tragic accident unfolded. Joshua, wearing green khaki pants, a light-colored t-shirt, and hip waders, entered the shallow waters of a marshy delta to catch two mew gull chicks. Unbeknownst to him, the lake floor dropped off suddenly. As water flooded his waders, he was pulled under and quickly disappeared from sight. Immediate rescue efforts were launched by his fellow service members, who searched by boat and on foot, but they were unable to locate him. The Alaska State Troopers and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dive team soon joined the search. However, their efforts were severely hampered by the conditions of Mother Goose Lake. The water was laden with glacial silt, creating zero visibility for the divers. Despite their determined attempts, the search and rescue teams were unable to find Joshua. The challenging environment of the remote Alaskan lake proved to be an insurmountable obstacle in the mission to bring him home. The official circumstances surrounding Joshua Nove's disappearance point to a presumed drowning in the unforgiving waters of Mother Goose Lake. This promising young biologist, who had traveled to far-reaching places like Belize, and across the United States to study birds, was lost while doing what he loved most. His case is a heartbreaking reminder of the inherent dangers of working in the wild and the suddenness with which tragedy can strike. The inability to recover his body left his family, including his mother, father, and grandmother, without the closure of a final farewell. The investigation into his disappearance remains a testament to the dedicated efforts of the Alaska State Troopers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who faced incredible challenges in their search. Ultimately, the case of Joshua Nove is a somber story of a bright and passionate individual whose life was cut short in the pursuit of his scientific calling amidst the raw and unpredictable beauty of the Alaskan wilderness.

Jul 03, 1997

Dillingham

Alaska

Dillingham Census Area

No

77540

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

970044559

Alaska State Troopers

8793

Brown

Brown

Brown

07/18/2026