Tracy Hill Missing Person Case

Jan 01, 1970

Jan 01, 1970

Tracy

Hill

26

White / Caucasian

Male

In the unforgiving waters of Alaska, a journey that began with hope ended in enduring mystery for the family and friends of 26-year-old Tracy Lee Hill. On February 27, 1990, Tracy, along with two other men, Mickey Aus and David Strom, was aboard a 54-foot steel trawler named the J Aus. The vessel was making its way from Blaine, Washington, to its destination in King Cove, Alaska, when it vanished into the tumultuous sea. The men were navigating through perilous conditions, a reality that would tragically cut their voyage short, leaving behind questions that have lingered for decades. The search for the J Aus and its three-man crew was immediately hampered by the severe weather that had likely led to their disappearance. Search and rescue teams faced a daunting challenge, battling fierce 60-knot winds and monstrous seas that swelled up to 27 feet. Despite their valiant efforts, the vast and violent expanse of the ocean offered few clues. All that was ever recovered of the vessel and the men aboard was a single life raft, an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), and one lone survival suit. This grim discovery was made approximately 70 miles southeast of Cordova, near a remote stretch of coastline known as Cape Suckling, painting a harrowing picture of the vessel's final moments. The lack of any further wreckage or signs of the crew led to the heartbreaking conclusion that Tracy Lee Hill, along with Mickey Aus and David Strom, had been lost to the sea. The men are presumed to be deceased, their vessel claimed by the powerful forces of nature they had set out to navigate. The case stands as a somber reminder of the inherent dangers faced by those who make their living on the water, particularly in the unpredictable and often treacherous Alaskan maritime environment. The discovery of the liferaft and survival suit suggests a desperate fight for survival against overwhelming odds, a battle that was ultimately lost. The disappearance of the J Aus and its crew remains a painful void for their loved ones, a story without a final chapter written in the vast, cold waters of the Gulf of Alaska.

Feb 27, 1990

Glennallen

Alaska

,

07/25/2026