A 15-year-old boy survived for days in the frigid Bering Sea, clinging to an overturned boat until rescuers found him, while his older brother and another crew member perished. The teenager, identified by family as Derek Parker, was discovered alive Monday afternoon about four miles east of Alaska’s St. Lawrence Island.
The capsized 18-foot skiff was spotted by a U.S. Coast Guard aircrew. The boy's mother told Alaska News Source that her son had survived without food or water after the vessel overturned. She stated that Derek's older brother became trapped beneath the boat, and the third crew member died after surviving alongside Derek for another day.
The three had departed the Siberian Yupik village of Savoonga on Friday and were expected to return by early Sunday morning. Alaska State Troopers notified the Coast Guard of the overdue group late Sunday.
Poor weather and visibility hampered initial search efforts. An HC-130 Hercules aircrew finally located the overturned boat and the clinging teenager Monday morning. The aircrew dropped a life raft and survival equipment and coordinated with the fishing vessel Northwest Explorer to reach Parker. The fishing vessel rescued the hypothermic teenager and recovered the two unresponsive men from the water. All three were transported to Nome, Alaska.
Derek's older brother, whose name was not released, leaves behind two children. A GoFundMe organized by the family described the incident as a devastating loss for the small community, which is mourning the deaths of two of its residents.
The family is seeking donations to help cover travel expenses to bring the deceased men home and to support the surviving teenager and his mother. Rear Admiral Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard’s Arctic District, expressed gratitude for the efforts of the Northwest Explorer, federal, state, and village first responders, and mission partners in the rescue operation that saved a life.