A 15-year-old Alaska boy has been rescued after spending more than two days stranded on an overturned fishing boat, while his older brother and cousin died during the ordeal.
Derek Parker Aghnaanga had been out fishing with his 35-year-old brother, Sidney Kulowiyi, and 34-year-old cousin, Barton Rookok, near St. Lawrence Island when their 18-foot skiff capsized in the Bering Sea on September 5. The three had been expected to return home the following day.
When they failed to return, authorities were alerted and a search began. The Coast Guard eventually spotted the overturned boat on September 7, more than 62 hours after the teenager had gone missing. A nearby fishing vessel, the Northwest Explorer, then reached him and pulled him to safety.
The teenager was suffering from hypothermia and had gone without food or water during his time at sea. He had managed to survive by clinging to the overturned hull and staying as much as possible out of the freezing water.
After he was rescued, Aghnaanga told crew members what had happened to his family. His brother had become trapped beneath the overturned skiff and drowned. His cousin initially survived the capsizing but later slipped into the water and did not make it back to the boat.
The teenager's family had been anxiously waiting for news while rescuers searched the area. When the captain announced over the radio that they had found a child alive, relatives gathered around a speakerphone and celebrated the news. His mother later said her son had relied on prayer throughout the ordeal.
The circumstances surrounding the capsizing are still being investigated. Reports indicate that a fishing line may have become tangled in the boat's motor, but officials have not established a final cause.
Aghnaanga is now recovering after his extraordinary survival at sea, while his family mourns the loss of his brother and cousin. The Coast Guard and other responders continue to review the incident and the events that led to the capsizing.