Missing Texas Family Discovered After Year-Long Search in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Nearly a year after the U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search for a family of four missing after their boat capsized in south-central Alaska, officials announced the recovery of the vessel and human remains.

This breakthrough occurred following the efforts of three private Alaska companies, including one utilizing sonar technology, who volunteered to assist in the search last April. Earlier this month, they located the missing boat in 180 feet of water in Kachemak Bay, near Homer, along with human remains, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

Divers successfully recovered three sets of remains from the sunken vessel on Tuesday and Wednesday. These remains have been sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy and identification, though the duration for identification has not been specified.

The missing family from Troy, Texas, comprises Mary Maynard, 37, David Maynard, 42, and their two sons, Colton, 11, and Brantley, 8. The search commenced in August after a report indicated that a 28-foot aluminum boat carrying eight people was taking on water. The Coast Guard notified nearby vessels, leading to the rescue of four passengers.

Despite extensive searches by the Coast Guard and Alaska’s search and rescue teams employing sonar equipment, initial efforts to locate the family were unsuccessful, leading to the suspension of the search by the following evening.

Mary Maynard was known as a traveling nurse while David Maynard took care of their children and operated a lawn care business. Christi Wells, speaking on behalf of Mary Maynard’s parents, noted that the family loved spending time with friends and traveling.

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