15-Year-Old Alaska Boy Survives 62 Hours on Capsized Boat as Brother and Cousin Die

A 15-year-old Alaska boy survived for approximately 62 hours clinging to an overturned fishing boat in the frigid Bering Sea, while his older brother and cousin died after the vessel capsized near St. Lawrence Island.

Derek Parker Aghnaanga, of Savoonga, Alaska, had gone fishing with his older brother, Sidney Kulowiyi, 35, and their cousin, Barton Rookok, 34, when their approximately 18-foot boat overturned in early September.

Authorities have not released an exact cause for the capsizing. Derek’s family believes a fishing line may have become tangled in the boat’s motor, but that remains unconfirmed.

After the boat overturned, Sidney became trapped beneath the vessel and died.

Barton initially remained on the overturned hull with Derek. At some point, however, he fell into the water and drowned, leaving Derek alone on the small boat as he waited for help.

For roughly 62 hours, the teenager remained stranded in the open sea.

On September 7, a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft spotted Derek still clinging to the overturned boat approximately four miles from St. Lawrence Island.

A fishing vessel, the Northwest Explorer, was dispatched to the area and successfully rescued him.

Derek was suffering from hypothermia when rescuers reached him, but he was conscious and able to tell Captain Adam White what had happened to his brother and cousin.

His ordeal had forced him to endure extremely cold conditions. The surrounding water was approximately 10°C (50°F), and Derek reportedly had no food or water during the time he was stranded.

He spent much of those hours praying and doing everything he could to remain on top of the overturned hull rather than fall into the freezing water.

The teenager’s survival has been described as extraordinary given the length of time he spent exposed to the elements and the loss of the two family members who had been with him when the boat went down.

Source: The Sun