15-Year-Old Alaska Boy Survives Two Days Clinging to Capsized Boat as Brother and Cousin Die

A 15-year-old Alaska boy survived a terrifying ordeal in the freezing waters of the Bering Sea after spending about two days clinging to the hull of an overturned fishing boat while his older brother and cousin died.

Derek Parker Aghnaanga, 15, of Savoonga, Alaska, had gone halibut fishing with his 35-year-old older brother, Sidney Kulowiyi, and a cousin when their small fishing boat capsized off the coast of St. Lawrence Island.

Derek survived by holding onto the overturned hull for approximately two days. With water temperatures around 10°C (50°F), he endured the freezing conditions without food or drinking water while waiting for help.

His brother, Sidney, died after becoming trapped beneath the capsized boat. Their cousin also did not survive the incident. Both bodies were later recovered.

Derek’s rescue came on September 7, 2026, when the U.S. Coast Guard spotted him during the search. The vessel Northwest Explorer subsequently approached the overturned boat and brought the teenager aboard.

By the time rescuers reached him, Derek was suffering from hypothermia. He was treated and warmed after being brought to safety, ultimately surviving an ordeal that had placed him in extreme danger.

Images and video released following the rescue show Derek wearing a yellow shirt and kneeling on the hull of the capsized boat as rescuers approached.

The images offer a striking glimpse of the teenager’s isolation in the vast Bering Sea and the difficult conditions he endured before help finally arrived.

While Derek survived, the rescue came amid a devastating loss for his family, with both his older brother and cousin dying in the accident.

For Derek, the moment he was brought aboard Northwest Explorer marked the end of nearly two days of fighting to survive in some of Alaska’s most unforgiving waters—and the beginning of a painful journey of recovery and grief.

Source: The Irish Sun