When rescuers spotted what looked like an unusual object floating on the horizon, they had no idea it was a teenager clinging onto a capsized fishing vessel.
For about three days, Derek Parker Aghnaanga held onto a skiff without food and water in the freezing temperatures of Alaska.
The 15-year-old made a heartbreaking revelation about his brother and cousin after finally being hoisted to safety. “He lived on prayer,” his mother said about his survival.
Highlights
- 15-year-old Derek Parker Aghnaanga survived for three days clinging to a capsized fishing boat in Alaska’s freezing waters.
- He made a heartbreaking revelation about his older brother and cousin following his rescue.
- During the rescue, Derek’s family members had huddled around a speakerphone, waiting for an update on them.
- “He lived on prayer,” his mother said about her younger son’s survival.
Derek Parker Aghnaanga held onto a skiff for days without food and water in the freezing temperatures of Alaska
Derek Parker Aghnaanga’s fishing trip turned into a tragic survival story after he accompanied his older brother, Sidney Kulowiyi, 35, and cousin, Barton Rookok, 34, on Friday, September 4.
The group had left the village of Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island, a remote island that’s closer to Russia than the U.S., and had planned to return early Sunday, September 6.
They were out fishing for halibut, which is part of the Savoonga village culture and important for the survival of the roughly-800 residents.
With jobs and livelihood hard to come by, the residents often share their catch with relatives and neighbors, according to Collen Walker, one of Derek’s aunts.
“That's how we do it in our community. We take care of one another,” she told the Associated Press. “We still live a traditional way of life even if the world is changing.”
Derek fought for survival after watching his brother and cousin lose their lives in the middle of the open ocean
A day after Derek and the two adults set sail, their small fishing vessel capsized in the Bering Sea on the night of Saturday, September 5.
When the group hadn’t returned by around 3 a.m. on September 6 as planned, officials in Savoonga eventually alerted Alaska State Troopers to their disappearance.
The state troopers then notified the Coast Guard, which began a rescue operation, but crews were only able to search for them on September 7 due to extreme weather conditions.
Meanwhile, Derek was stranded in the middle of the open ocean, clinging onto the skiff for dear life.
He had no food, no water, and no idea if anyone was coming to help.
Sidney, his brother and the boat’s captain, had gotten trapped underneath the skiff and lost his life, while the cousin initially survived and held onto the skiff with the teenager.
But Derek had no choice but to watch his cousin eventually drown as well.
The exhausted teen was spotted by crew members kneeling atop the overturned boat
On the morning of September 7, the Coast Guard spotted an object at sea and alerted the Northwest Explorer, a fishing vessel with a crew of 13 people scientists from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
Adam White, the captain of the Northwest Explorer, said they made their way towards the upturned skiff.
“We saw the unusual object on the horizon,” Adam told KTUU-TV. “We blasted our horn a couple times.”
As they went closer, Adam spotted the exhausted teenager kneeling on top of the capsized boat.
Crew members rescued the tired teenager, who was suffering symptoms of hypothermia following 62 hours at sea.
“That’s one tough kid,” Adam said.
“He lived on prayer,” said the lone survivor’s mother, who’s grieving the loss of her older son
Crew members wrapped up the lone survivor in blankets and hot packs after hauling him to safety. They also kept him talking until they reached dry land so he could be reunited with his loved ones.
“Through the teeth chattering, he had mentioned that his brother was still under the skiff,” Adam said. “And then he said that, in the previous night, before our rescue, that his cousin had slipped away.”
During the rescue, Derek’s relatives were anxiously listening to radio transmissions for any updates.
Collen said all the family members had huddled around a speakerphone and were praying to hear some good news.
“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 said.
Family members had huddled around a speakerphone, waiting for updates during the rescue mission
“Then we asked, ‘Where's the rest of them?’” the aunt said, recalling how their celebration was short-lived.
Crews eventually managed to find the bodies of Sidney and Barton, leaving the community grieving their loss.
Sidney was a commercial fishing captain, described by Collen as a humble and caring “provider for people in the village.”
He had also become a father figure to Derek after the brothers lost their dad when they were young.
Their mother called Derek a “survivor” on social media, saying: “He lived on prayer.”
A GoFundMe page was set up for the family and has so far managed to raise nearly $42,330.
The current target is $45K.
Adam said it was “unbelievable” and “remarkable” that the boy managed to survive on top of the skiff.
“It’s cold. The water is 10 degrees Celsius,” he added.
The rescue was an “emotional roller coaster,” said the Coast Guard pilot who first spotted the teen from the air
Lt. Cmdr. Jonathon Resch, the Coast Guard pilot who first spotted Derek sitting on the overturned boat from the air, said the rescue was an “emotional roller coaster.”
“People don't flip boats and survive nights. They don't do it in warm water, let alone in water that's, you know, 40 degrees,” added the Coast Guard pilot, who called it “nothing short of miraculous.”
The air crew had managed to drop flares and life rafts in the water to make it easier for the Northwest Explorer to spot the skiff.
“Poor kid. I hope he gets a lot of love, support, and counseling,” one commented online
