Timothy Moffitt Missing Person Case

Jan 01, 1970

Jan 01, 1970

Timothy

Moffitt

20

White / Caucasian

Male

On a summer day in June of 1986, a young man named Timothy Moffitt, at the age of 20, vanished into the waters near Sitka, Alaska. He was in a skiff with another person, Kenneth Osbakken, when the small boat capsized in the vicinity of the Eastern Channel in Aleutkina Bay. The sudden and unforgiving nature of the Alaskan waters presented an immediate and life-threatening challenge. While one individual from the vessel managed to survive the ordeal by swimming to the relative safety of a rock off Boidarkin Island, where they were subsequently rescued by a passing boat, Timothy and Kenneth were not as fortunate. Despite the survival of one person, the vast and turbulent waters offered no sign of the other two, leaving their fates unknown. The events of that day set in motion a search and an investigation by the Alaska State Troopers. The initial report, filed on June 25, 1986, documented the known facts of the capsizing and the subsequent disappearance of the two men. At the time of his disappearance, Timothy was described as being 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing approximately 190 pounds. He had brown hair and hazel eyes, with a distinguishing scar on the left side of his face. He was reportedly wearing Levis and a blue windbreaker. These details, while providing a picture of the young man, did little to aid in the physical search for him in the expansive and challenging Alaskan wilderness and seascape. The disappearance of Timothy Moffitt has remained an open and unresolved case for decades. The lack of any significant leads or discoveries has left his family and the community with unanswered questions and a sense of profound loss. The official investigation, handled by the Alaska State Troopers, has been unable to provide any definitive answers as to what ultimately happened to Timothy and Kenneth Osbakken after their skiff overturned. The case serves as a somber reminder of the inherent dangers of the sea and the enduring pain that accompanies the unknown fate of a loved one. The overview of the case is one of a tragic accident followed by a frustrating lack of closure, a narrative that has sadly become all too common in the wild and unforgiving landscapes of Alaska.

Jun 25, 1986

Sitka

Alaska

,

07/22/2026