The person at the center of this case
Shima Funakoshi
Missing Person · Open
22 years waiting · since 2003
Missing Person: Shima Funakoshi
Justice for Shima Funakoshi — the trail went cold in 2003, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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evidence
Lead #1Debris and oil slick found 10 miles northeast of Wainwright—could additional wreckage or remains be recovered from 75-foot depth waters?
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person
Lead #2Shima's mother Yoshiko Funakoshi (MP #98457) was also aboard the aircraft and missing
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vehicle
Lead #3Cessna 406 Caravan with tail number N6591L—what caused the crash during the Barrow-to-Wainwright flight?
Shima Funakoshi, a 30-year-old woman, disappeared on August 17, 2003, when a Cessna 406 Caravan aircraft carrying her and her mother crashed while flying from Barrow to Wainwright, Alaska. Debris and an oil slick were discovered approximately 10 miles northeast of Wainwright in ocean waters 75 feet deep, but neither passenger was ever located despite extensive search efforts. The case remains unsolved, with questions about whether remains might still be recoverable in the Arctic waters where the aircraft went down.
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
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location
Lead #4Why were searches of the crash area unsuccessful in locating the aircraft or passengers in relatively shallow Arctic waters?
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Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP98456. Missing person: Shima Funakoshi.
Last known contact: 2003-08-17 in Barrow, North Slope, AK. Circumstances: Shima and her mother, Yoshiko Funakoshi MP #98457, were aboard a 406 Caravan airplane with tail number N6591L that left Barrow heading for Wainwright when it crashed.
Debris and oil slick were found 10 miles northeast of Wainwright in an area of the ocean with a depth of 75 feet. Searches of the area were unsuccessful in locating them.
Demographics: 30 years, Female, Asian. Physical description: 5 ft 4 in, 125 lbs, hair: Black, eyes: Brown.
Investigating agency: North Slope Borough Police Department | 030000765 | 2003-08-17.
Timeline of Events
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2003-08-17
Aircraft departure and crash
Shima Funakoshi and her mother Yoshiko Funakoshi departed Barrow aboard Cessna 406 Caravan (N6591L) headed for Wainwright when the aircraft crashed in the ocean
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:August 17, 2003
Last Updated:May 26, 2026
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Phone: 9078526111
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Case Information
Incident:August 17, 2003
Last Updated:May 26, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 9078526111
You can remain anonymous