Alaska Teen Survives 62 Hours on Capsized Skiff in Bering Sea as Brother and Cousin Perish

A 15-year-old boy from the remote Yupik village of Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, was rescued after clinging for roughly 62 hours to the overturned hull of an 18-foot fishing skiff in the frigid Bering Sea. Derek Parker Aghnaanga survived the ordeal that claimed the lives of his older brother, Sidney Kulowiyi, 35, and cousin, Barton Rookok, 34, highlighting both the perils of small-vessel subsistence fishing in Alaska’s remote waters and the thin margin between survival and tragedy.

The trio departed Savoonga on Friday, September 4, 2026, for a halibut fishing trip expected to end early Sunday. A fishing line tangled in the motor, and worsening weather caused the skiff to capsize Saturday night. Kulowiyi became entangled and drowned while attempting to retrieve a life jacket; Aghnaanga and Rookok climbed onto the inverted hull. Rookok, possibly suffering hypothermia, slipped off the following night and drowned, leaving the teenager alone.

The U.S. Coast Guard launched a search after the boat failed to return. On Monday morning, an HC-130 aircrew spotted Aghnaanga kneeling on the hull about four miles east of the island. The nearby fishing/survey vessel Northwest Explorer was directed to the scene; its crew hauled the hypothermic teen aboard using a rescue basket and recovered the two bodies. Water temperatures were around 50°F (10°C). Aghnaanga, who had no food or water, later told family he prayed continuously and believed he would be found. He was treated at Norton Sound Regional Hospital in Nome before returning home.

The incident underscores documented risks for small skiffs in the Bering Sea, where capsizings are infrequent but often fatal for those aboard, in contrast to larger vessels. It also reflects the cultural role of subsistence fishing in communities like Savoonga (population ~835), where families harvest and share food amid limited store access. Family accounts and rescuers described the teen’s resilience and faith as key factors in his survival.