Alaska Triangle: Where over 20,000 people have mysteriously vanished

The Alaska Triangle, though less famous than the Bermuda Triangle, has become synonymous with mysterious disappearances.

In this remote region near Juneau, Alaska, an astonishing number of people—estimated at 20,000 since the 1970s—have vanished. With an annual average disappearance rate of around 2,250 people, this sparsely populated area has earned its enigmatic reputation. Geographically, the Alaska Triangle spans between Anchorage and Juneau in the south and Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), on the northern coast.

Prominent figures, such as House Majority Leader Hale Boggs and Congressman Nick Begich, disappeared in 1972 while flying from Anchorage to Juneau. Despite extensive search efforts, including for the missing plane and its occupants — pilot Don Jonz and Begich's Russell Brown — no bodies or wreckage were ever found. The mysterious circumstances surrounding Boggs, a member Warren Commission, fueled conspiracy theories.

Another puzzling case involves Gary Frank Sotherden, a 25-year-old New Yorker who disappeared during a hunting trip in the Alaskan wilderness in the mid-1970s. In 1997, a human skull found along the Porcupine River was later identified as Sotherden's through DNA analysis in 2022. US Army investigators concluded he likely died in an encounter with a bear.

What is the secret behind the Alaska Triangle?

The Alaska Triangle's perceived connection to the supernatural and conspiracy theories is extensive. Sightings of UFOs, ghosts, and aggressive Bigfoot- or Yeti-like creatures are frequently reported. Various explanations for disappearances range from electromagnetic disturbances affecting compasses to alien abductions and encounters with a man-eating monster known as a Wendigo — a mythological being with roots in the folklore of Algonquin First Nations tribes.

Eyewitnesses in a Discovery Channel documentary recounted mysterious UFO sightings in the area, describing triangular objects that defied conventional aviation norms. Reports from experienced rescue workers investigating missing persons cases revealed encounters with phantom voices, confusion, and dizziness — attributed to an unknown feature of the Alaskan wilderness.

UFO expert Debbie Ziegelmeyer suggested that the sparsely populated nature of Alaska makes it attractive to aliens. Paranormal investigator Jonny Enoch speculated on secret military involvement. While aliens are often blamed, cryptozoologist Cliff Barackman has proposed the presence of a local version of Bigfoot as the culprit behind the disappearances.