An extensive search operation was underway in Southeast Alaska after a vehicle plunged into the Thorne River near Thorne Bay on Thursday evening, November 12, 2026, leaving a mother and her 14-year-old daughter missing.
According to Alaska State Troopers, authorities received a report at approximately 6:18 p.m. that a vehicle had driven into the river near the Thorne Bay Road bridge.
One juvenile passenger managed to escape from the vehicle, but the mother and her teenage daughter could not be located after the accident.
Troopers, Village Public Safety Officers and additional responders rushed to the area and began searching the surrounding waterway. Search efforts continued through the night, involving teams working from the air, on the ground and in the water.
The search was particularly challenging because the location where the vehicle entered the river was estimated to be at least 20 feet deep, with fast-moving water creating dangerous conditions for rescue personnel.
A family friend identified the missing individuals as a mother and daughter from Craig, Alaska. The juvenile who escaped was reportedly the mother’s niece.
The incident has deeply affected the Craig community. Students and adults gathered at Craig Middle School, where school staff and counsellors were made available to support those struggling with the news. Family members, neighbours and friends also came together to help care for the woman’s other children.
The family friend praised the first responders who continued working under difficult weather and river conditions.
As of the latest report published November 13, the missing mother and daughter had not been located. Authorities had not announced their identities publicly, and the circumstances that caused the vehicle to enter the river remained under investigation.
The search has left families and residents across the region hoping for answers as emergency personnel continue efforts to locate the missing pair.