MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES
Over the past fifty years 20,000 people have disappeared from the “Alaska Triangle”. That averages 400 per year. However, themirror.com/news reports that "Around 2,250 people go missing in the Alaska Triangle every year, and the National Transportation Safety Board reported that fatal plane crashes in Alaska are well above the national average.”
Using either statistic, the number is less than one percent of the total unexplained disappearances in the country. Still, it is significant enough to raise a few eyebrows and cause speculation about what is going on there.
LOCATION
The “Alaska Triangle” , not as well-known as the “Bermuda Triangle”, is a remote area of Alaska between Utqiagvik (Barrow), Anchorage, and Juneau covering approximately 200,000 square miles of wilderness.
Over the past fifty years 20,000 people have disappeared from the “Alaska Triangle”. That averages 400 per year. However, themirror.com/news reports that "Around 2,250 people go missing in the Alaska Triangle every year, and the National Transportation Safety Board reported that fatal plane crashes in Alaska are well above the national average.”
Using either statistic, the number is less than one percent of the total unexplained disappearances in the country. Still, it is significant enough to raise a few eyebrows and cause speculation about what is going on there.
LOCATION
The “Alaska Triangle” , not as well-known as the “Bermuda Triangle”, is a remote area of Alaska between Utqiagvik (Barrow), Anchorage, and Juneau covering approximately 200,000 square miles of wilderness.
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POPULATION
Although the edge of the triangle touches on both Anchorage (2020 population 290,000) and Juneau (2020 population 32,255), the vast region of the triangle is sparsely inhabited. Statistics regarding residents was not available but, because the triangle is known for its wilderness, one assumes the region is largely uninhabited.
The small towns of Haines and Skagway are located in the region, and more remote areas may have small villages or Native Alaskan communities. Access to these towns often requires travel by boat or plane due to limited road infrastructure.
Historically, the area along the southeastern coast of Alaska, and reaching inland, between Juneau and Anchorage, has been occupied by the Tlingit tribes. Archaeological data suggest they have been there since seven thousand B.C.
Inland, they inhabited areas along the major rivers that pierce the Coast Mountains and Saint Elias Mountains. As of the 2000 Census, there was a total Tlingit population of 119,241 in the state.
ENVIRONMENT
Most disappearances have been attributed to treacherous landscape, getting lost, harsh climate, and local predators. With year-round snowfall, freezing temperatures, dense wilderness, and massive glaciers containing hidden caves and giant crevasses, the odds of finding a downed aircraft or a lost hunter’s body are not promising.
Although the edge of the triangle touches on both Anchorage (2020 population 290,000) and Juneau (2020 population 32,255), the vast region of the triangle is sparsely inhabited. Statistics regarding residents was not available but, because the triangle is known for its wilderness, one assumes the region is largely uninhabited.
The small towns of Haines and Skagway are located in the region, and more remote areas may have small villages or Native Alaskan communities. Access to these towns often requires travel by boat or plane due to limited road infrastructure.
Historically, the area along the southeastern coast of Alaska, and reaching inland, between Juneau and Anchorage, has been occupied by the Tlingit tribes. Archaeological data suggest they have been there since seven thousand B.C.
Inland, they inhabited areas along the major rivers that pierce the Coast Mountains and Saint Elias Mountains. As of the 2000 Census, there was a total Tlingit population of 119,241 in the state.
ENVIRONMENT
Most disappearances have been attributed to treacherous landscape, getting lost, harsh climate, and local predators. With year-round snowfall, freezing temperatures, dense wilderness, and massive glaciers containing hidden caves and giant crevasses, the odds of finding a downed aircraft or a lost hunter’s body are not promising.
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▲Image Credit: Hillebrand/USFWS/Alaska Region US Fish & Wildlife Service ▲Image Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
WHY THE INTEREST?
People and aircraft have been disappearing in this area for much longer than fifty years – In 1950, a military aircraft carrying 44 people was lost and never found – but the inciting incident that captured the attention of the public and set the Alaska Triangle on its road to recognition, occurred in 1972.
On Oct. 16, 1972, a private twin-engine Cessna 310 airplane, carrying U.S. House Majority Leader Hale Boggs, Representative Nick Begich, Russell Brown, and the pilot Don Jonz, vanished somewhere between Anchorage and Juneau. Boggs had been visiting the freshman Begich and one of his aides during a campaign trip when their plane disappeared.
People and aircraft have been disappearing in this area for much longer than fifty years – In 1950, a military aircraft carrying 44 people was lost and never found – but the inciting incident that captured the attention of the public and set the Alaska Triangle on its road to recognition, occurred in 1972.
On Oct. 16, 1972, a private twin-engine Cessna 310 airplane, carrying U.S. House Majority Leader Hale Boggs, Representative Nick Begich, Russell Brown, and the pilot Don Jonz, vanished somewhere between Anchorage and Juneau. Boggs had been visiting the freshman Begich and one of his aides during a campaign trip when their plane disappeared.
◄ U.S. Representative Hale Boggs
Image Source: allthatsinteresting.com/alaska-triangle
The disappearance generated a massive search and rescue effort involving 40 military aircraft and 50 civilian planes, and covered a 325,000 square miles area. After 39 days, searchers had still found no a trace of the plane or anyone who was on it. As a result, Congress passed a law requiring all U.S. civil aircraft be equipped with emergency locator transmitters.
Then came the conspiracy theories, “…including one pertaining to Boggs’ membership on the Warren Commission — set up by President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate John F. Kennedy’s assassination — and his dissenting opinion on the commission’s report pointing to a lone assassin. In short, Boggs believed that Kennedy’s assassination may have involved multiple individuals, and conspiracy theorists believed Boggs was killed because he was looking too deeply into something he shouldn’t have been.” allthatsinteresting.com/alaska-triangle
SPECULATIONS
Most often the harsh climate, dangerous geography, and largely unexplored wilderness are held responsible, but there are a number of other theories about the causes of these disappearance.
Folklore
For millennia the folklore of the Tlingit tribes has attributed disappearances to demons and malevolent spirits, and they have been addressing disappearances for longer than the fifty years someone has been counting.
The Tlingit inhabited a world filled with spirits, which were able to manifest their power through individuals, animals, or things. “Since every material object or physical forces could be inhabited by a spirit, Tlingit were taught to respect everything in the universe. The penalty for disrespect was the loss of ability to obtain food. Properly purified persons could acquire spirit power for curing illnesses, for protection in warfare, for success in obtaining wealth, and for ceremonial prerogatives. Each Tlingit had a mortal and an immortal spirit.” ehrafworldcultures.yale.edu/
▼The Kushtaka ▼ The Keelut
Image Source: www.paranormalpaths.com Image Source: www.mythlok.com
Image Source: allthatsinteresting.com/alaska-triangle
The disappearance generated a massive search and rescue effort involving 40 military aircraft and 50 civilian planes, and covered a 325,000 square miles area. After 39 days, searchers had still found no a trace of the plane or anyone who was on it. As a result, Congress passed a law requiring all U.S. civil aircraft be equipped with emergency locator transmitters.
Then came the conspiracy theories, “…including one pertaining to Boggs’ membership on the Warren Commission — set up by President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate John F. Kennedy’s assassination — and his dissenting opinion on the commission’s report pointing to a lone assassin. In short, Boggs believed that Kennedy’s assassination may have involved multiple individuals, and conspiracy theorists believed Boggs was killed because he was looking too deeply into something he shouldn’t have been.” allthatsinteresting.com/alaska-triangle
SPECULATIONS
Most often the harsh climate, dangerous geography, and largely unexplored wilderness are held responsible, but there are a number of other theories about the causes of these disappearance.
Folklore
For millennia the folklore of the Tlingit tribes has attributed disappearances to demons and malevolent spirits, and they have been addressing disappearances for longer than the fifty years someone has been counting.
The Tlingit inhabited a world filled with spirits, which were able to manifest their power through individuals, animals, or things. “Since every material object or physical forces could be inhabited by a spirit, Tlingit were taught to respect everything in the universe. The penalty for disrespect was the loss of ability to obtain food. Properly purified persons could acquire spirit power for curing illnesses, for protection in warfare, for success in obtaining wealth, and for ceremonial prerogatives. Each Tlingit had a mortal and an immortal spirit.” ehrafworldcultures.yale.edu/
▼The Kushtaka ▼ The Keelut
Image Source: www.paranormalpaths.com Image Source: www.mythlok.com
 |  In particular, one evil spirit called the Kushtaka is held responsible for disappearances. In their natural form, this creature looks like a hairy men with some otter-like features, but is able to transform easily between their human and otter. |
The native inhabitants believed they waited by the water’s edge and lured people to the edge, then pulled them into the water and killed them. Another such evil spirit is the Keelut, a black hairless dog which is practically invisible in the forest.
Magnetic Anomalies
On the more realistic level, Alaska has a number of confirmed magnetic anomalies which may be attributed to its unique geology. Although research indicates that magnetic anomalies can interfere with aircraft navigation and satellite communication systems in the area, pilots are trained to recognize and compensate for magnetic declination in navigation. The FAA monitors magnetic variations and updates aeronautical charts accordingly.
The suggested theories that, as a result of these magnetic anomalies, the Alaska Triangle might “...harbor a space vortex capable of transporting objects to another dimension” have no scientific basis.
Aliens
Numerous reports of unidentified flying objects have been documented in the region, suggesting possible alien activity. According to National UFO Reporting Center Online Database, 674 reports are filed (under the category of State) for Alaska.
https://nuforc.org/ndx/?id=loc
ARE THESE DISAPPEARANCES REALLY MYSTERIOUS?
Losing 20,000 people off the face of the earth with no trace and no verifiable explanations is puzzling and disturbing to anyone involved.
When the reason “why” is not obvious or understood, it seems it is in our human DNA to fabricate an explanation we can begin to comprehend or at least accept. Humans beings are never shy about inventing explanations, viable or otherwise.
Some of the stories of people disappearing do seem odd, but no more than other places. Because the triangle touches on Anchorage, I compared reports of unexplained disappearances among some other US cities about the same size. While there is a wide range – some as low as 10-15 per year -- many of them indicate from 50 to 100 such unexplained disappearances cases per year.
Without something more, I’ll put my money on year-round snowfall, freezing temperatures, dense wilderness, and massive glaciers, combined with the foolishness to venture into the unexplored wilderness…although I was intrigued by the idea of magnetic anomalies creating a vortex capable of sending folks off to another dimension.
Magnetic Anomalies
On the more realistic level, Alaska has a number of confirmed magnetic anomalies which may be attributed to its unique geology. Although research indicates that magnetic anomalies can interfere with aircraft navigation and satellite communication systems in the area, pilots are trained to recognize and compensate for magnetic declination in navigation. The FAA monitors magnetic variations and updates aeronautical charts accordingly.
The suggested theories that, as a result of these magnetic anomalies, the Alaska Triangle might “...harbor a space vortex capable of transporting objects to another dimension” have no scientific basis.
Aliens
Numerous reports of unidentified flying objects have been documented in the region, suggesting possible alien activity. According to National UFO Reporting Center Online Database, 674 reports are filed (under the category of State) for Alaska.
https://nuforc.org/ndx/?id=loc
ARE THESE DISAPPEARANCES REALLY MYSTERIOUS?
Losing 20,000 people off the face of the earth with no trace and no verifiable explanations is puzzling and disturbing to anyone involved.
When the reason “why” is not obvious or understood, it seems it is in our human DNA to fabricate an explanation we can begin to comprehend or at least accept. Humans beings are never shy about inventing explanations, viable or otherwise.
Some of the stories of people disappearing do seem odd, but no more than other places. Because the triangle touches on Anchorage, I compared reports of unexplained disappearances among some other US cities about the same size. While there is a wide range – some as low as 10-15 per year -- many of them indicate from 50 to 100 such unexplained disappearances cases per year.
Without something more, I’ll put my money on year-round snowfall, freezing temperatures, dense wilderness, and massive glaciers, combined with the foolishness to venture into the unexplored wilderness…although I was intrigued by the idea of magnetic anomalies creating a vortex capable of sending folks off to another dimension.
JUST SAYIN’
sources:
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/alaska/urban-legends-myths-folklore-ak
https://allthatsinteresting.com/alaska-triangle
https://www.themanual.com/outdoors/alaska-triangle/
https://www.thenorthernlight.org/stories/the-alaska-triangle-one-big-hoax
https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/chilling-history-alaska-triangle-more-960551
http://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-mystery-of-the-alaska-triangle
https://www.ladbible.com/news/world-news/alaska-triangle-deadly-reality-bermuda-919385-20250826
https://www.tmz.com/watch/2024-07-08-strange-and-suspicious-alaska-triangle-v2-1858587-048/
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/alaska/urban-legends-myths-folklore-ak
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tlingit
https://earthathome.org/hoe/w/climate-ak/
https://ehrafworldcultures.yale.edu/cultures/na12/summary
https://www.usgs.gov/maps/magnetic-anomaly-map-north-america
https://listverse.com/2022/07/13/10-mysterious-disappearances-in-the-alaska-triangle/
https://earthjay.com/earthquakes/20181130_alaska/naugler_wageman_1973_magntic_anomalies_gulf_alaska.pdf
https://nuforc.org/ndx/?id=loc (ufo sightings)
https://www.wideopenspaces.com/more-than-20000-people-have-disappeared-in-a-stretch-of-alaskan-wilderness-whats-going-on/
https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1951-2000/The-Disappearance-of-Majority-Leader-Hale-Boggs-of-Louisiana-and-Representative-Nicholas-Begich-of-Alaska/
https://www.wideopenspaces.com/more-than-20000-people-have-disappeared-in-a-stretch-of-alaskan-wilderness-whats-going-on/
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