In the quiet coastal city of Sitka, Alaska, the disappearance of 31-year-old Josiah Dale Bracken, II, and his companion, 50-year-old Quinn Whitten, has left a community heartbroken and searching for answers. The two men were last seen on the evening of December 13, 2025, embarking on a short boat trip from Back Beach. They were heading towards a float house in Camp Coogan Bay, a journey of about five nautical miles, with plans to return the following day. However, neither Bracken nor Whitten reached their destination, and they have not been seen or heard from since. The small, 14-foot Lund skiff they were traveling in, reportedly laden with supplies, also vanished without a trace into the Alaskan waters.
The official search for the missing men began on the evening of December 15, 2025, after friends reported them overdue. The United States Coast Guard, alongside the Alaska State Troopers, Sitka Search and Rescue, and numerous volunteers, launched an extensive search effort. For several days, crews scoured the waters and shorelines of Eastern Channel and the surrounding area by air and sea. Despite their exhaustive efforts, which covered over 158 square miles, no sign of the men or their boat was found. The active search was suspended on December 17, 2025, pending any new information. The weather conditions on the night of their disappearance were described as poor, with high winds and snow, a factor that likely contributed to the tragic events.
The mystery deepened in the weeks following their disappearance when a theft was reported from the very float house Bracken and Whitten were traveling to. An acquaintance of Whitten was later indicted for allegedly stealing numerous firearms from the residence in the days after the men went missing. This development, while concerning, has not brought authorities any closer to solving the central question of what happened to the two men. The families of Josiah Bracken and Quinn Whitten have been left in a painful state of uncertainty. In the absence of any definitive evidence, the case remains an active missing persons investigation with the Alaska State Troopers. The disappearance of Josiah Bracken and Quinn Whitten serves as a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan wilderness and the profound grief that accompanies unresolved loss.
Last Seen: Dec 13, 2025
