Alexei Klutchnikov, 52 and known as Alex, went missing after his gold dredge vessel Charlotte capsized about 17 miles east of Nome, Alaska, on October 15, 2020. The boat was returning from a mining trip near Bluff with three men aboard when a large wave overturned it and all three were thrown into the Bering Sea.

One crewmate, Pavel Denisenko, reached a life raft and later washed ashore; he tossed wetsuits toward Alexei and the other man, Serhii Denysenko, before drifting away. Search and rescue teams including a Coast Guard C-130 and Jayhawk helicopter, plus 25 Nome volunteers, scoured the area despite severe weather. The capsized vessel was recovered; Serhii’s body was found washed ashore three days later about eight miles west of the boat. Alexei has not been found and remains missing.

Anyone who was in or near Nome on October 15, 2020, or who may have seen debris, a life raft, or clothing along the beaches east of Nome, is asked to come forward with information.