On July 27, 1990, 29-year-old Laura Kuckes and her companion, Isaac Kayutak, departed from Barrow, Alaska, for what was planned as a ten-day outing. The pair was last seen on August 4, 1990, at their campsite on the Chipp River when they were visited by other Barrow residents who were seeking directions to a fishing spot. This encounter would be the last known time anyone saw Kuckes and Kayutak.
Concerns for their safety arose when they failed to return as scheduled.
On August 8, 1990, a search party made a grim discovery in Admiralty Bay, approximately 45 miles southeast of Barrow. They found the couple's 18-foot skiff overturned and lodged on a sandbar. A sleeping bag and Kuckes's dog, which had drowned, were found with the boat.
Subsequent searches of the area yielded more of the couple's belongings. Searchers located canvas bags that contained camping equipment and personal medication belonging to Kuckes and Kayutak. The prevailing theory by authorities is that Kuckes and Kayutak were in the process of returning to Barrow when their skiff capsized for unknown reasons. Despite the recovery of their boat and some possessions, no trace of Laura Kuckes or Isaac Kayutak has ever been found. The North Slope Borough Police Department and the Alaska State Troopers have been involved in the investigation of their disappearance.Last Seen: Aug 4, 1990
