Michael Diverty Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Mar 29, 2024

Michael

Diverty

67

51

71 inches

160 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the close-knit fishing community of Sitka, Alaska, the autumn of 2009 was marked by the sudden and unsettling disappearance of one of their own, 51-year-old Michael Robert Diverty. An experienced fisherman familiar with the local waters, Diverty was last seen on October 23, 2009, as he departed the harbor alone aboard his 32-foot fishing vessel, the "Miss Dee Dee." What began as a routine day at sea soon evolved into a lasting mystery when his boat was discovered under troubling circumstances. Later that same evening, the crew of another fishing vessel, the Brant, happened upon the "Miss Dee Dee" in Fish Bay, approximately 20 miles north of Sitka. The vessel was found run aground on an island in Schultz Cove with its engine still running and lights on, but there was no sign of Michael Diverty. A subsequent inspection of the boat revealed that the lifeboat and other life-saving equipment were still on board, adding to the perplexing nature of the situation. There were no immediate signs of a struggle or any obvious clues as to what might have transpired. The discovery prompted an immediate and extensive search of the surrounding area by the Brant's crew, who checked a nearby cabin but found no trace of the missing fisherman. The report of the empty, grounded vessel triggered a large-scale search and rescue operation involving multiple agencies. The U.S. Coast Guard dispatched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Sitka and the Cutter Naushon to search the waters, while the Alaska State Troopers and Sitka Mountain Rescue, aided by a search dog, scoured the shoreline in case Diverty had managed to make it to land. The search covered a wide area, approximately six miles wide and 15 miles long, but yielded no clues to Diverty's whereabouts. After days of intensive searching by air, sea, and land, the official search was suspended, leaving his family and community with unanswered questions. Authorities believe Diverty may have fallen overboard, and he is now presumed to be deceased. The case remains a poignant reminder of the inherent dangers of the sea and the profound impact of a person's sudden absence on those left behind.

Oct 23, 2009

Sitka

Alaska

Sitka Borough

No

77899

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

090095870

2009-10-24

Alaska State Troopers

8491

Blond/Strawberry

Blue

Blue

No

07/15/2026