On October 20, 2020, 34-year-old Wilson Wassillie, known as Willie, disappeared along with six others while traveling by boat from Quinhagak, Alaska. The party of seven had left on October 17 in a 22-foot welded aluminum boat to go seal hunting, stopped in Bethel to pick up additional passengers, and were last seen near the mouth of the Eek River after fueling in the village of Eek.

A multi-agency search began on October 21 and included the U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers, Bethel Search and Rescue, and volunteers from Quinhagak, Eek, Kongiganak, and Platinum. Harsh weather, high winds and early ice formation hampered efforts. Searchers found possible debris — gas tanks, a bucket, a glove and a personal flotation device — but none were confirmed as belonging to the missing boat. The Coast Guard suspended its search on October 27, and local efforts were paused pending any new evidence.

No wreckage, remains or definitive evidence has been recovered, and the boat’s fate is unresolved; capsizing is the leading theory. Does anyone have information about the trip route, the boat, or sightings in the Eek River area around October 20, 2020?