In the Alaskan summer of 1986, a young man named Kenneth Thor Osbakken, aged 23, disappeared into the waters near Sitka. On June 25th, he was on a skiff with two other individuals when the small boat capsized in Aleutkina Bay, near the Eastern Channel. The sudden and dramatic event left the occupants struggling in the cold Alaskan waters. At the time of his disappearance, Kenneth, also known as Ken, was described as being 6'4' and weighing approximately 170 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was reportedly wearing Levis, a wool shirt, and a green jacket, and had a Walkman with him.
The incident unfolded with a harrowing tale of survival for one, while ending in mystery for two others. Following the capsizing of the skiff, one of the three people on board managed to swim to the relative safety of a rock off Boidarkin Island. From this precarious perch, the lone survivor was eventually spotted and rescued by a passing boat. Tragically, Kenneth Osbakken and the other person on the skiff, identified as 20-year-old Timothy Moffitt, were not seen again. An immediate search for the two missing men was unsuccessful.
The disappearance of Kenneth Osbakken and Timothy Moffitt is a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the waters surrounding Sitka. The case of the unnamed skiff that capsized a mile south of Sitka, resulting in two missing persons, is documented among other maritime losses in Alaska for that year. Despite the passage of decades, the disappearances of Kenneth and Timothy remain unresolved. The Alaska State Troopers investigated the incident, but no further information on what caused the skiff to capsize has been made publicly available. The case stands as a painful loss for the families and a lingering question within the community, an event where a day on the water turned into a lasting tragedy.
Last Seen: Jun 25, 1986
