Clarence Brush, Jr Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Jul 11, 2024

Clarence

Brush, Jr

60

28

73 inches

165 lbs

American Indian / Alaska Native

Male

On a September day in 1993, the vast and mighty Yukon River near Nulato, Alaska, became the setting of a lasting mystery. It was on September 19th of that year that 28-year-old Clarence W. Brush, Jr., a resident of the area, vanished into the cold waters. He and a companion were navigating the river in a small boat, known as a skiff, approximately one mile upstream from the village of Nulato when the vessel suddenly overturned. The accident plunged both men into the unforgiving current. Neither Clarence nor his friend was wearing a life vest, a crucial piece of safety equipment for anyone braving the powerful river. In the chaotic moments that followed, Clarence’s companion was carried downriver by the current but was fortunately pulled from the water unharmed. He was the last person to see Clarence, reporting that he had seen him alive and actively swimming towards the shore in a desperate attempt to save himself. An immediate and thorough search was launched in the hopes of finding Clarence. Despite these extensive efforts by rescuers who scoured the river and its banks, he was never located. The only physical evidence of the incident that was recovered was the skiff itself. At the time of his disappearance, Clarence was described as an American Indian / Alaska Native male, standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing around 165 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing Brown Carhartt bibs over a green U.S. Army shirt and Army combat boots. The case, handled by the Alaska State Troopers, remains an open investigation, a painful and unresolved chapter for his loved ones and the close-knit community of Nulato. The overview of the case is one of a sudden and tragic boating accident where one man survived the currents of the Yukon River, while Clarence W. Brush, Jr., disappeared after being last seen fighting to reach the safety of the shoreline, leaving behind a void of unanswered questions.

Sep 19, 1993

Nulato

Alaska

Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area

No

77960

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

930061246

1993-09-20

Alaska State Troopers

8866

Black

Brown

Brown

No

07/17/2026