Missing Alaska Children Found Alive, Suffering From Hypothermia After Disappearing In Blizzard

Four children who disappeared during a blizzard near Nunam Iqua, Alaska, were found safe but reportedly suffering from hypothermia due to the harsh weather conditions.

Police found the boys – Trey Camille, 2, Ethan Camille, 7, Frank Johnson, 8, and Christopher Johnson, 14 – outside of Nunam Iqua while searching the area around 4:30 p.m. on Monday. They were reportedly found in a shelter outside of town after being cut off during a snowmobile ride Sunday. Emmonak Search and Rescue said the group was “cold, hungry and tired” after an initial evaluation before handing them over to Alaska State Police.

The group was flown by U.S. Coast Guard to a hospital to receive treatment for “severe hypothermia.”

“It immediately brought me to tears,” Alphonso Thomas, Trey's father, told reporters. “I never would have thought that he would make it. Being two and with weather like that, people usually don't make it ... tough kids, all of them.”

The children were last reportedly seen around 1 p.m. on Sunday leaving Nunam Iqua on snowmobiles. However, a snowstorm rolled through the area while the kids were still out.

“It became an hour and the weather started being bad, and that’s when we called for someone to go out and look,” Karen Camille said. Camille is the mother of Trey, Ethan, and Frank. She is the older sister of Christopher.

Alaska State Police said they were notified about their disappearance around 6:45 p.m. on Sunday. Early search efforts were made more difficult because of blizzard conditions, limiting visibility and the use of helicopters.

Nunam Iqua is located in the southwestern part of Alaska. It has a population of about 200.