USA11 September, 20263 min read
U.S. Coast Guard Rescues 15-Year-Old After Fishing Vessel Capsizes Off Alaska’s St. Lawrence Island
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Fifteen-year-old survived days atop an overturned fishing boat in the Bering Sea. Two other crew members, his brother and cousin, died after the capsizing.
Capsize off Alaska
A 15-year-old boy survived after his family’s 18-foot fishing vessel capsized in frigid waters off Alaska’s St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, while his two crew members died, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
“A Coast Guard pilot called the rescue an ‘emotional roller coaster.’”
The Coast Guard said the fishing vessel departed Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island on Friday and was due back early Sunday, but it was reported overdue Sunday night and the search and rescue effort began after Alaska State Troopers notified the Coast Guard.
ABC News reported that a Coast Guard pilot called the rescue an "emotional roller coaster" after Lt. Cmdr. Jonathon Resch spotted the teen sitting atop the overturned boat Monday morning approximately 4 miles from St. Lawrence Island.
The Coast Guard said it coordinated the rescue with the nearby good Samaritan vessel Northwest Explorer, and it deployed flares and life rafts while waiting for the Northwest Explorer to arrive.
The Coast Guard said the teen was experiencing hypothermia and that the two deceased boaters were recovered from the water and transported along with the survivor to Nome.
Rescuers, families, and quotes
The Coast Guard said it concluded its search efforts on Monday following the rescue of the one survivor and the recovery of two deceased from the water near St. Lawrence Island, and it described watchstanders coordinating the rescue with the Northwest Explorer.
In a statement carried by the Coast Guard and quoted by FOX Weather, Rear Adm. Bob Little said, "Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and communities affected by the tragic loss of these two mariners."
The captain of the Northwest Explorer, Adam White, told KTUU-TV in Anchorage that "That kid is very tough," describing how the minor clung to the skiff for nearly three days before being hoisted to safety.
The New York Times reported that when the skiff did not emerge as expected on Sunday to Savoonga, a small village on the northern tip of St. Lawrence Island, officials in the family’s village alerted the Alaska State Troopers.
The New York Times also said dense fog and darkness prevented the Coast Guard from sending rescuers out on the water on Sunday, and crews embarked on Monday morning after conditions improved.
Aftermath and what’s next
The Coast Guard said the two deceased were recovered from the water unresponsive, taken aboard the good Samaritan vessel, and transported to Nome with the survivor, who was experiencing symptoms of hypothermia.
ABC News said the Coast Guard has not released the names of the deceased boaters or the survivor, while the Chicago Tribune and other outlets described the teen as a 15-year-old boy without naming him.
The New York Times reported that the teenager survived in the Bering Sea off Alaska without food or water before being pulled to safety by a fishing vessel, and it said the ordeal began Friday morning when Derek Parker Aghnaanga set sail with his older brother Sidney Kulowiyi and a cousin to catch halibut.
The New York Times also said the brothers were scheduled to return around 3 a.m. Sunday, and it reported that when the skiff did not return, Alaska State Troopers were alerted and search teams canvassed the land on Sunday afternoon.
In the aftermath, the Coast Guard said it was grateful for the efforts of the motor vessel Northwest Explorer, Federal, State, Village first responders and mission partners that assisted in the effort that resulted in a life saved.