Stephen Mack Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Feb 14, 2024

Stephen

Mack

67

39

74 inches

185 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

On a cold January day in 1996, 39-year-old Stephen Joseph Mack, a male from Dillingham, Alaska, was aboard the fishing vessel 'Pacesetter' when it tragically sank. The vessel, a 127-foot steel-hulled crab fishing boat, went down approximately 65 nautical miles south of St. George Island in the Bering Sea. Stephen, along with the six other crew members, disappeared into the frigid waters. The crew included Captain Matthew Pope, Richard Anderson, Michael Ericson, Byron Koesterman, Elias Pena, and Stanley Eftestad. The incident marked a devastating loss in the Alaskan fishing community and left the families of the seven men seeking answers. The disappearance of the 'Pacesetter' triggered an immediate response from the U.S. Coast Guard. On January 27, 1996, an emergency position-indicating radiobeacon (EPIRB) distress signal was received, pinpointing the vessel's last known location. Search and rescue teams were dispatched to the area, but the outlook was grim. They discovered a debris field which included two empty life rafts, a buoy float bearing the ship's name, and the still-transmitting EPIRB. Despite an extensive search covering a 361-square-mile area of the Bering Sea, no signs of the seven crewmen were ever found. The harsh conditions of the Bering Sea, with its icy waters and stormy weather, offered little hope for survival. The search was ultimately called off after two days, and the crew was presumed lost at sea. A subsequent investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard sought to determine the cause of the tragic incident. While the exact cause remains undetermined, the investigation concluded that a combination of factors likely contributed to the sinking of the 'Pacesetter'. These probable causes included the "free surface effect" in the forward hold, an overload of crab pots, and the severe weather conditions prevalent at the time. Testimony from crews of other boats in the vicinity suggested the 'Pacesetter' was heavily loaded and was seen rolling violently from side to side before it disappeared. The loss of the 'Pacesetter' and her entire crew stands as a somber reminder of the inherent dangers faced by those who make their living on the turbulent waters of the Bering Sea. The case remains a painful memory for the families and the close-knit fishing community, a story of lives cut short in one of the world's most perilous professions.

Jan 27, 1996

Dillingham

Alaska

Dillingham Census Area

No

77653

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

960006280

1996-01-28

Alaska State Troopers

Brown

Blue

Blue

06/27/2026