Donald Bright Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

May 15, 2024

Donald

Bright

66

31

70 inches

145 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the harsh and unforgiving environment of the Bering Sea, 31-year-old Donald "Don" Bright was plying his trade as a commercial fisherman. On February 10, 1991, he was aboard the 98-foot steel crab fishing vessel, the Barbarossa, which was operating approximately 30 miles west of St. George Island, Alaska. The life of a fisherman in these waters is one of constant challenge, a reality Don and his five fellow crew members knew all too well. The crew, including skipper George Brandenburg, Dennis Olberding, Timothy Schmitt, Darrell Gross, and Brian McPherson, were engaged in opilio crab fishing near the Pribilof Islands. The vessel and the six men aboard would tragically vanish, leaving behind an enduring mystery and heartache for their families and the close-knit fishing community. In the early morning hours, under the cloak of darkness, a distress call crackled over the marine radio. Around 1:00 a.m., a brief, desperate message was heard by several other boats in the vicinity: "May-Day, we're going over, we're about 40 miles west of St. George Island, please hurry." The transmission was abrupt and did not identify the vessel in peril. When the Barbarossa could not be reached, the chilling realization dawned that it was likely the source of the mayday call. The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted and initiated a search and rescue operation, deploying both aircraft and ships to the area of the distress call. The conditions were challenging, with 30-knot winds and 14-foot seas, making the search efforts even more difficult. Despite their exhaustive efforts, no trace of the Barbarossa or its six-man crew was ever found. The prevailing theory is that the Barbarossa, possibly laden with crab pots, capsized and sank rapidly in the turbulent seas. The vessel was equipped with a 10-person self-deploying life raft, survival suits for the crew, and multiple Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), at least one of which was designed to deploy automatically. Tragically, none of this safety equipment was ever located, suggesting a sudden and catastrophic event. The disappearance of the Barbarossa and its crew, including Donald Bright, serves as a solemn reminder of the inherent dangers faced by those who make their living on the sea. The incident is one of many maritime losses that have deeply affected Alaska's fishing communities over the years, leaving an indelible mark on the families who lost their loved ones to the unforgiving waters of the Bering Sea.

Feb 10, 1991

Dutch Harbor

Alaska

Aleutians West Census Area

No

77333

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

910010518

Alaska State Troopers

Brown

Brown

Brown

07/10/2026