Vanished in the Bering Sea: The Unsolved Disappearance of Brian McPherson and the F/V Barbarossa

A Fateful Voyage into the Bering Sea

On February 10, 1991, the 98-foot steel crab fishing vessel Barbarossa set out into the icy waters of the Bering Sea, approximately 30 miles west of St. George Island. Among the six crew members aboard was 33-year-old Brian McPherson from Dillingham, Alaska. The vessel transmitted a distress call around 1:00 a.m., but despite extensive search efforts, neither the boat nor its crew were ever recovered. The U.S. Coast Guard presumed the vessel had capsized and sunk, leading to the tragic loss of all on board.

The Crew's Final Moments

The Barbarossa's crew included Brian McPherson, Donald Bright, George Brandenburg, Dennis Olberding, Timothy Schmitt, and Darrell Gross. All six men were seasoned fishermen, familiar with the treacherous conditions of the Bering Sea. The distress call indicated a sudden and catastrophic event, but the exact circumstances remain unknown. No debris or bodies were ever found, leaving families without closure....Read More

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