Melody Kassahn, 03-08-08
Norman Kassahn
Missing couple's skiff located
HARTNEY BAY: The pair hasn't had contact with family in weeks.
By JAMES HALPIN, jhalpin@adn.com, Published: March 29th, 2008
A skiff found washed up on a mud flat Thursday, apparently having rolled in the
water, is the only sign of two Cordova people who disappeared and have not been
in contact with their family in nearly three weeks, according to Alaska State Troopers.
Melody Kassahn, 53, and Norman Kassahn, 63, last contacted family members March
8 or 9, prompting concerned relatives to boat out to their home Thursday, troopers
said. They saw no sign the pair had been there recently, with no recent footprints
around the home, troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said.
The family then reported the missing couple to troopers, she said.
"The family went out to see if they could find them, no one was at the home, and
they found the boat on their way back to Cordova," Peters said.
The skiff was in Hartney Bay, on a mud flat about a half mile from shore, Peters
said. It appeared to have rolled and there was no sign of the Kassahns, she said.
Troopers searched the home, finding a cat and dog that were out of food and needed
care. Trooper's Helo 3 deployed from Anchorage and began a search of Hartney Bay
and the southern shore of Hawkins Island, across Prince William Sound from the bay.
The search will resume this morning, Peters said.
Find James Halpin online at adn.com/contact/jhalpin or call him at 257-4589.