George Stephen Van Vleet, 62, was reported missing on September 4, 2020, after setting out alone in a skiff from the Aleknagik boat ramp toward a cabin in Bear Bay to transport gear. His unmanned skiff was later found in the middle of Aleknagik Lake, less than four miles from the landing, turning in circles with no one on board. At the time he disappeared he was wearing a black jacket, a fluorescent green shirt, blue jeans, and hiking boots.

Alaska State Troopers mounted land, air, and water searches that ran late into the night and resumed at dawn, but operations were suspended Saturday afternoon when weather and poor visibility made continued searching unsafe. The Aleknagik community assisted the family during the search, and the family later launched a fundraiser to provide playground equipment for a Bristol Bay school in George’s memory. Friends and relatives remember him as kind, happy, and fond of fishing and camping at Aleknagik.

George remains missing and the circumstances on the lake are unresolved. If anyone was on Aleknagik Lake that afternoon or saw the skiff, please share what was seen or any other information that might help.