DNA match solves 17-year mystery of Alaska hunter who vanished through iceAugust 9, 2026 by Moosetrack MeganA 17-year mystery has been solved after DNA testing identified human remains found on a remote Alaska island as those of a hunter who disappeared after his snow machine broke through river ice. Alaska State Troopers announced July 14 that remains discovered on Nunivak Island in October 2009 have been positively identified as George Smith Sr. of Togiak. Troopers said Smith and a companion were hunting on snow machines when Smith’s machine broke through the ice on the Ungalikthluk River near Togiak. Immediate searches and later efforts failed to locate Smith or his snow machine, and he was presumed dead. In February, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons investigators collected about a half-dozen DNA samples from family members while working to identify several missing people from the Dillingham and Togiak area.