Sean Allen Mansfield, 29, disappeared from Bellingham Bay on June 5, 2009, after a small sailboat he was on capsized south of Clark Point during severe weather. The boat carried six people and a dog; four people survived and the dog was later found dead. Two female passengers swam to shore and alerted authorities while two others remained with the overturned vessel.

Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies mounted a search and rescue operation for Sean and fellow passenger Gunther Frank. The search was later suspended; both men were lost to the turbulent waters and are presumed to have drowned. Sean was a student at Bellingham Technical College studying Electro-Mechanics and was remembered by friends and family for his snowboarding, skateboarding, cooking, artistic eye, and mischievous humor.

If anyone was on or near Bellingham Bay that night or has information about the recovery efforts, can you share what you know?