Desperate search for Tennessee couple who disappeared on Alaska vacation five days ago

Police located the vehicle rented by Jonas Bare, 50, and Cynthia Hovsepian, 37, on Saturday at Chena Hot Springs Resort, a popular destination about 60 miles outside of Fairbanks

Jonas Bare, 50, and Cynthia Hovesepian, 37, both of Tennessee, vanished while visiting Alaska last week (Fairbanks Police Department)

A search is underway for a Tennessee couple who vanished while traveling in Alaska last week.

Alaska State Troopers have joined Fairbanks Police in the effort to find Jonas Bare, 50, and Cynthia Hovesepian, 37, who were reported missing on 12 August after they failed to check out of their vacation rental the day before.

The couple had not made their return flight home and their luggage was found at their Airbnb in the downtown area of Fairbanks, police said. They have not been in touch with their families.

Later on Saturday evening, Fairbanks Police located the couple’s rental vehicle at Chena Hot Springs Resort, a popular destination about 60 miles outside of Fairbanks.

The dark metallic blue Jeep Compass Limited was rented through Turo and set to be returned on 11 August, police said. There are no plates on the vehicle, just a temporary tag with the number T119055.

Troopers have been canvassing Alaska’s interior for days with helicopters, small unmanned aircraft systems, ATVs, professional search and rescue teams, and K9 units.

Jonas Bare (Fairbanks Police Department)

Cynthia Hovesepian (Fairbanks Police Department)

Fairbanks Police located the couple’s dark metallic blue Jeep Compass Limited at Chena Hot Springs Resort. The rental had temporary tags and was set to be returned 11 August but never was (Fairbanks Police Department)

Mr Bare’s recent Facebook posts show his excitement leading up to the couple’s Alaska trip that appeared to be for his 50th birthday. At one point he wrote that he was visiting his 50th state for his 50th birthday.

In an eerie post shared on 8 August, just a few days before the couple disappeared, Mr Bare wrote about preparing to leave for base camp the following morning.

“If a Kodiak gets me, I’ll consider that an honorable death,” he wrote.

The post also states that he was “not going to get lost like I did 10 years ago in Australia and Katoomba Range..”

Bare’s last post was a picture of Denali National Park in Alaska that was captioned: “View from room” along with heart-eyed emoji.

Messages of concern from family and friends have flooded the comment sections on the couple’s social media pages.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Jonas Bare and Cynthia Hovsepian is asked to contact either the Fairbanks Police Department at 907-450-6500 and reference incident 23 003095, or the Alaska State Troopers in Fairbanks at 907-451-5100 and reference incident AK23085703 - or email crupe@fairbanks.us.