Peter Siefner Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

May 15, 2024

Peter

Siefner

73

28

75 inches

155 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the vast and often unforgiving expanse of the Bering Sea, a young man's life was tragically cut short, leaving behind a void of unanswered questions and a family to grapple with his sudden absence. Peter Jerome Siefner, a 28-year-old man, was working aboard the fishing vessel, the Karin Lyn, on February 22, 1981. The crew was engaged in the arduous task of setting crab pots, a routine yet perilous part of life for those who make their living on the turbulent Alaskan waters. It was during this operation that a devastating accident occurred. Siefner was swept from the deck of the vessel and plunged into the frigid waters of the Bering Sea. The exact circumstances leading to him being washed overboard remain clouded by the passage of time, but the outcome was immediate and irreversible. His last known location was in the waters off of Dillingham, Alaska. The moments following Peter's disappearance were likely a flurry of desperate activity as the crew of the Karin Lyn grappled with the horrifying realization of what had just happened. Search and rescue efforts would have been initiated, a race against time and the elements in the hope of locating the young fisherman. However, the Bering Sea is notoriously treacherous, with its icy temperatures and powerful currents making the chances of survival after being submerged for any length of time incredibly slim. Despite what can be presumed to be a thorough search, Peter Siefner was never found. The vastness of the sea that had provided his livelihood ultimately became his final resting place, leaving no trace of him behind. The official investigation into the disappearance of Peter Jerome Siefner would have been conducted by the Alaska State Troopers. Given the circumstances, with a clear and tragic event witnessed by others, the focus would have been on documenting the incident and officially declaring him lost at sea. With no body to recover, the case would transition from a search and rescue mission to a missing person case with a grim and presumed conclusion. For his family, the lack of closure that comes with a loved one vanishing without a trace is an enduring pain. The case of Peter Siefner serves as a somber reminder of the inherent dangers faced by those who work in the commercial fishing industry in Alaska. While the official record may classify him as missing, the narrative of his disappearance points to a tragic accident at sea, and he is presumed to be deceased, a life claimed by the powerful and indifferent waters of the Bering Sea.

Feb 22, 1981

Dillingham

Alaska

Dillingham Census Area

No

77438

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

E81000017

1981-02-22

Alaska State Troopers

Brown

Brown

Brown

07/24/2026