Eighteen-year-old Sayer Almeida Tuzon, known as Sare, was last seen January 9, 2024, during a hunting trip return in the waters near Khaz Point and Khaz Bay, about 40 miles northwest of Sitka. The 26-foot vessel overturned in rough, bitterly cold seas; a Coast Guard helicopter rescued three people from the overturned hull, but Tuzon and another passenger, Darren Borbridge, could not be brought out with them.

Sitka Dive Rescue located both young men inside the vessel’s submerged cabin the next morning, but severe weather, 10 to 15 foot seas, freezing spray and strong winds made recovery too dangerous. The boat continued drifting west and was last tracked early January 11 about 22 miles west of Salisbury Sound; an extended search of nearly 500 square miles did not recover the vessel or the remains. NamUs lists Tuzon’s last contact as January 9, 2024; he is described as male, 5 feet 10 inches, 160 pounds, black hair and blue eyes, possibly wearing a brown or camouflage jacket.

Official findings later recognized this as a fatal boating loss rather than an unexplained disappearance, though his remains were not recovered and the NamUs record remains active. Does anyone have information about the trip, the vessel, or the people aboard that could help fill what happened that day?