On a September evening in 2013, a young man named Stanton Shelton, 24 years old, was traveling on the Yukon River in Alaska. He was with three other men, making their way from Emmonak towards their home village in an 18-foot Lund skiff. The journey took a tragic turn approximately 10 miles downriver from the village of Alakanuk. The small boat they were in began to take on water, leading to a desperate situation for the four individuals on board.
As the night progressed, the vessel ultimately sank, casting the men into the cold, unforgiving waters of the river.
The events that followed the sinking of the skiff were a mix of survival and tragedy. One of the men, 21-year-old John Chikigak, managed to endure the ordeal. He reportedly shed most of his clothing and swam to the riverbank, where he waited until searchers found him around noon the next day. He received medical attention at a local clinic and was released. Unfortunately, the outcome was different for the other two men traveling with Shelton. The bodies of Daniel Noble, 29, and Cyril Murphy, 50, were later recovered from the river. Despite search efforts, Stanton Shelton was never located. He was last seen wearing a green and black sweater and Carhartt overalls.
The disappearance of Stanton Shelton has left a lasting void for his family and community. He is presumed to have perished in the river that evening, a common danger for those who rely on the waterways for travel in remote parts of Alaska. The official circumstances of his disappearance note that of the four people on the boat, one survived, two were found deceased, and Shelton was never located. This overview encapsulates the known details of the case, a somber story of a journey that ended in loss and an unresolved search for a young man who vanished into the Yukon River.Last Seen: Sep 23, 2013
