Fifteen-year-old rescued from capsized boat in Bering Sea after two days adrift

Capsizing in the Bering Sea

A 15-year-old boy survived nearly three days adrift on the overturned hull of an 18-foot skiff in the Bering Sea before rescue crews reached him on 7 September 2026. Derek Parker Aghnaanga had set out on Friday, 4 September, from the village of Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, accompanied by his 35-year-old brother Sidney Kulowiyi and a cousin. The trio had embarked on a subsistence fishing trip to catch halibut for residents in their community of roughly 800 people. On Saturday night, a fishing line became tangled in the boat engine. As the crew attempted to clear the line in worsening weather, Sidney reached for a life jacket for Derek, became caught in the lines, and the vessel overturned.

Survival on the overturned hull

Sidney was lost beneath the capsized boat during the initial accident, leaving Derek and his cousin clinging to the exposed hull in waters measuring approximately 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). The two survivors remained together through the first night without food or fresh water while waiting for assistance. As conditions deteriorated during the night preceding their rescue, the cousin lost his grip and slipped into the sea. Derek remained kneeling on the inverted hull through wind and freezing spray, wearing a bright yellow jacket while holding onto a rope.

Through the teeth chattering, he had mentioned that his brother was still under the skiff. And then he said that, in the previous night, before our rescue, that his cousin had slipped away.

Search and rescue operation

The skiff failed to return as scheduled on Sunday afternoon, prompting family members to alert authorities on Sunday evening. The United States Coast Guard initiated aerial search operations on Monday morning with aircraft and helicopters across the waters east of St. Lawrence Island, an Alaskan outpost situated closer to Russia than the American mainland. A Coast Guard flight crew spotted Derek sitting atop the hull approximately 6.5 kilometers from the island. Rescuers dropped an emergency life raft, survival equipment, and marker flares before directing the nearby vessel Northwest Explorer, returning from a scientific expedition, to the scene around 15:00 local time.

Medical response and community recovery

Crew members aboard the Northwest Explorer pulled the hypothermic teenager onto a hoist platform, wrapped him in blankets, and applied hot compresses to stabilize his core body temperature. The vessel also recovered the bodies of his brother and cousin from the surrounding waters. Derek was subsequently transported back to Savoonga to recover alongside his family. Rear Admiral Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard Arctic District, extended condolences to the affected families and the broader Siberian Yupik community on the island. Derek's mother, Vina Kulowiyi, confirmed that her surviving son is recovering at home following two days without provisions.

Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and communities affected by the tragic loss of these two mariners.