Body of missing Ketchikan woman found

The body of Christiana Watt, a Ketchikan resident who went missing earlier this month, has been found.

Alaska State Troopers said someone hiking the trail at Ward Lake, a popular recreation area north of town, spotted Watt's body around 8 a.m. today. today, near the west shore of the lake, approximately 150 meters from the day-use area.

The search for Watt had largely focused on Ward Lake since she was reported missing two weeks ago. Soldiers and the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Team had searched the lake using boats, remotely operated submersible vehicles, a drone, a diver, a helicopter and dog sleds. The active search lasted about five days, but was called off due to failure to locate Watt or find any good leads.

The troopers called in the Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team, a volunteer group based in Anchorage, which arrived just days before the passerby spotted Watt's body.

Troopers said the volunteer rescue team and Anchorage team were conducting a sonar search of the lake when the call came in.

“We suspended active operations, but since then we have been doing daily searches of the lake with video and sonar, but we have not conducted any real active searches,” said Jerry Kiffer of the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Team .

Police believe his body had been submerged since the search began and floated to the surface overnight.

Police do not suspect foul play, although the state medical examiner's office is working to determine Watt's cause of death.