An Alaskan teenager, Derek Parker Aghnaanga, 15, survived over two days stranded on an overturned fishing skiff in the Bering Sea. He revealed to rescuers that while he was clinging to the vessel, his cousin had slipped away at night and his elder brother remained trapped beneath the skiff.
The incident occurred as Aghnaanga, his 35-year-old brother Sidney Kulowiyi, and their cousin embarked on a fishing trip. The skiff was found capsized approximately four miles east of St. Lawrence Island.
Adam White, captain of the fishing vessel Northwest Explorer, recounted the chilling details shared by Aghnaanga to KTUU-TV in Anchorage. Aghnaanga tried to hold onto his brother and cousin, as recounted on a GoFundMe page by the family, before their bodies were eventually located and recovered.
The U.S. Coast Guard played a crucial role in the rescue, with an HC-130 Hercules aircrew from Air Station Kodiak spotting the teen on the skiff. They dropped a survival raft and supplies, using flares to guide the Northwest Explorer to the rescue scene.
Upon reaching him, the crew of the Northwest Explorer found Aghnaanga exhibiting signs of hypothermia. They quickly wrapped him in blankets and utilized hot packs to raise his body temperature while transporting him to Nome.
The ill-fated fishing trip began from the remote Alaska Native village of Savoonga on Friday, with the trio expected to return early Sunday. When they didn’t, family members reported them missing, triggering a search operation involving the Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers, and additional state and local agencies.
Colleen Walker, the boys’ aunt, shared that Kulowiyi was a modest commercial fishing captain and a provider for the Savoonga community, where halibut fishing is essential. The village houses around 800 residents.
Walker described the moment family members celebrated upon hearing Aghnaanga’s survival. “We all cried and jumped for joy when the captain announced on the radio, ‘We found a kid, he’s alive, he’s alive,'” she shared with The Associated Press.
The handcrafted efforts of the community and authorities have raised significant support through a family fundraiser, gathering over $42,000 of a $45,000 goal as of Monday morning. Kulowiyi leaves behind children, as noted by the family fundraiser.
Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard Arctic District, expressed condolences, saying, “Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and communities affected by the tragic loss of these two mariners.” The search in Savoonga was a coordinated effort with multiple organizations, including the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center and the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing.
The cause of the skiff’s capsize remains undetermined, according to both the Coast Guard and Alaska State Troopers.
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