A 15-year-old Alaska boy has been rescued after surviving for nearly two days atop an overturned fishing skiff in the frigid Bering Sea. Derek Parker Aghnaanga told rescuers that his older brother remained trapped beneath the vessel and that his cousin had slipped away during the night.
Aghnaanga, his brother Sidney Kulowiyi, 35, and a cousin disappeared Friday while on a fishing trip near St. Lawrence Island. Family members reported them missing Sunday night, prompting a search involving the U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers, and other state and local agencies.
A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircrew spotted Aghnaanga on the capsized skiff Monday morning, approximately four miles east of St. Lawrence Island. The aircrew dropped a survival raft and equipment, then deployed flares to guide the fishing vessel Northwest Explorer to the scene. Crew members aboard the Northwest Explorer pulled Aghnaanga to safety and recovered the bodies of his brother and cousin.
Adam White, captain of the Northwest Explorer, recounted that the teenager, despite his teeth chattering, managed to communicate the fate of his family members. Aghnaanga was suffering from hypothermia upon rescue and was transported to Nome for treatment.
According to a GoFundMe page organized by relatives, Aghnaanga attempted to hold onto his brother and cousin after their deaths before their bodies were recovered. The page stated that Kulowiyi, a commercial fishing captain and provider for the village of Savoonga, left behind children.
Savoonga is a remote Alaska Native village of about 800 residents where halibut fishing is a vital part of the community's life. Relatives described Kulowiyi as a humble man.
The Coast Guard Arctic District coordinated the search efforts with multiple agencies. The cause of the skiff capsizing remains under investigation by the Coast Guard and Alaska State Troopers.