Andhra Pradesh student goes missing in Alaska during solo winter trip, last traced on Dec 31

He went via public transport and last contacted his friends and family on December 30

• Indian student Karasani Hari Krishna Reddy missing in Alaska since December 31
• Last phone signal detected at Denali hotel; police and friends appeal for info
• He relied on public transport and was last seen leaving Aurora Denali Lodge

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A student from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur and pursuing his MS degree in Houston, Texas, has allegedly gone missing during a solo trip to Alaska. Karasani Hari Krishna Reddy, 24, went on a solo trip during the Christmas holidays on December 22, according to a report by the Times of India.

He went via public transport and last contacted his friends and family on December 30. Friends in the US said Hari had been staying at a hotel in Denali, Alaska, where his mobile phone signal was last detected on December 31, the TOI report added.

Assisted by local police, they have circulated missing person notices on social media, appealing for information from anyone who may have seen him.

Usually at the end of the year, tourists avoid visiting Alaska due to harsh winter conditions. During December 31–January 1, the temperature in Alaska dropped to nearly minus 40 degrees Celsius.

His friends, who shared posts on Facebook and Instagram, said they were unaware of the purpose of Hari’s trip, apart from his telling them that it was a vacation and that he would return in two weeks. They added that Hari did not know how to drive and usually relied on public transport.

According to the report, Hari told his friends before leaving Houston that he would be staying in Denali and would be back by January 3-4. His roommates initially thought that he could not be contacted due to network issues in the area.

However, upon checking Hari’s credit card records, they realised that he had made a transaction using a local cab facility.

According to Alaska State Troopers (local police), Hari, reported missing on January 3, was last seen departing the Aurora Denali Lodge on December 31, and police suspect he may have travelled to the Fairbanks area.

TOI was told by Andhra Pradesh Non Resident Telugu Society officials that no message seeking help had been received from Hari’s parents, though they were coordinating with local contacts in the US.

Around 2,000 people go missing in Alaska every year, as per US officials.