Teen survives 2 days on capsized boat in frigid waters of Alaska, rescue video surfaces

A 15-year-old boy survived nearly two days in the frigid waters of Alaska’s Bering Sea by clinging to an overturned fishing boat after the vessel capsized. A video showing the dramatic rescue has since surfaced online.

The teenager, identified by a relative as Derek Parker Aghnaanga, was found alive Monday near St. Lawrence Island, a remote Alaskan island that is closer to Russia than the mainland United States, the AP reported.

His older brother, 35-year-old Sidney Kulowiyi, and their cousin were also missing after the boat capsized. Their bodies were later found.

Aghnaanga was eventually spotted by a US Coast Guard aircraft and rescued with the help of a nearby fishing vessel, The Northwest Explorer.

Fishing boat captain Adam White told KTUU-TV in Anchorage that the teenager endured the darkness and water temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).

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“He’s a tough kid,” White said.

According to White, Aghnaang told rescuers that his brother was still under the overturned boat. He also said that his cousin managed to hold on for a while before he slipped out last night.

The three left the village of Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island on Friday for a fishing trip and were expected to return early Sunday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. They were reported missing by their families on Sunday evening.

A Coast Guard aircraft spotted the overturned skiff Monday morning. Rescuers dropped supplies and the boat before making contact with The Northwest Explorer, whose crew then brought the teenager aboard.

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Footage from the rescue shows Aghnaanga wearing a bright yellow jacket and kneeling on top of the overturned boat. The crew of the fishing vessel throw him a line and gradually bring the skiff closer before transferring him to the rescue basket.

The teenager was showing signs of hypothermia when he was brought aboard, the Coast Guard said. The crew used blankets and hot packs to keep him warm.

For Aghnaang’s family, the rescue brought a moment of relief amid devastating news.

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Collen Walker, the brothers’ aunt, said Aghnaang’s mother listened to radio communications during the rescue while relatives gathered around a speakerphone.

According to Walker, the family was overcome with emotion when they heard the captain announce that the baby had been found alive. But their relief was followed by the question of what happened to the other two men.

Fishing is deeply woven into life in Savoonza, a community of about 800 people where job opportunities are limited. Walker said residents often share their catches with relatives and neighbors.

Aghnaanga often went fishing with Kulowiyi, who Walker described as a loving and reliable figure in the community. She said the teenager also looked up to his older brother as a father figure after their own father died when they were young.

The rescue brought the teenager home alive, but the story of survival also left a small Alaskan community mourning the loss of two members of its fishing community.