Teams are searching for a 19-year-old who has gone missing. Scott Falzerano, Jr., was last seen on Monday morning, November 11, at home in Sitka’s Indian River neighborhood. His family reported him missing on Tuesday.
Twenty members of Sitka Mountain Rescue – and two search dogs – spent Tuesday searching the Indian River valley, along with many of Falzerano’s friends and family. A coast guard helicopter flew a sortie up the valley on Tuesday afternoon. As of Tuesday night the search had turned up nothing, according to Sitka Mountain Rescue director Don Kluting, who said it isn’t clear whether Falzerano went into the wilderness at all.
“We’re certainly worried. The urgency on this case has certainly gone up substantially,” Kluting said. “At the end of the day we still can’t demonstrate whether he’s in the urban setting or wilderness.”
The search team received a report that Falzerano might have been seen at the Indian River trailhead around 3 p.m. Monday, but they haven’t been able to confirm that it was him, Kluting said.
The team had interviewed Falzerano’s friends and family on Tuesday, and confirmed that he did not leave Sitka by plane. Kluting is asking the public for any information that might help piece together Falzerano’s movements in the past few days.
“Any information that you have on his whereabouts,” Kluting said. “What was he talking about, you know, was he excited about a trip or something like that.”
Falzerano is described as about six feet tall, with blonde hair. He was last seen wearing jeans and a black or red hooded sweatshirt. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Sitka Fire Department at 747-3233.
