Alaska teen rescued after 3 days in frigid waters reveals tragic end for 2 family members

An Alaska teenager who survived nearly two days atop an overturned fishing skiff told his rescuers that his cousin had slipped away during the night and that his older brother remained beneath the vessel after the three were thrown into the frigid Bering Sea, according to rescuers and family members.

Derek Parker Aghnaanga, 15, was spotted Monday morning on the capsized skiff roughly four miles east of St. Lawrence Island after he, his 35-year-old brother Sidney Kulowiyi and their cousin disappeared during a fishing trip.

"Through the teeth chattering, he had mentioned that his brother was still under the skiff," Adam White, captain of the fishing vessel Northwest Explorer, told Anchorage affiliate KTUU-TV. "And then he said that, in the previous night, before our rescue, that his cousin had slipped away."

A GoFundMe page organized by relatives said Aghnaanga tried to hold onto his brother and cousin after they died, before their bodies were recovered.

TRAGEDY AT SEA LEAVES TEEN STRANDED ON OVERTURNED BOAT FOR NEARLY 3 DAYS IN FRIGID WATERS

This image taken from video provided by Carlos Alexis Escartin shows a teenager being rescued by a fishing vessel Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in the Bering Sea near St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. (Carlos Alexis Escartin via AP)

A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircrew from Air Station Kodiak spotted Aghnaanga atop the overturned vessel and dropped a survival raft and equipment before deploying flares to guide the Northwest Explorer to his location.

Crew members aboard the Northwest Explorer pulled Aghnaanga to safety and recovered the bodies of Kulowiyi and the teenager's cousin.

Aghnaanga was experiencing symptoms of hypothermia when he was rescued. Crew members wrapped him in blankets and used hot packs to warm him as the vessel transported him to Nome.

A 15-year-old survivor sits atop a capsized vessel while being towed to safety during a rescue operation off St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, Sept. 7, 2026, in this screen grab from a handout video obtained on Sept. 12, 2026. (Carlos Alexis Escartin/Handout via Reuters)

The three had departed the remote Alaska Native village of Savoonga on Friday for a fishing trip and planned to return early Sunday. Family members reported them missing Sunday night, prompting a search involving the Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers and other state and local agencies.

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Colleen Walker, an aunt of the brothers, described Kulowiyi as a humble commercial fishing captain and provider for Savoonga, a village of roughly 800 residents where halibut fishing remains an important part of community life.

"We all cried and jumped for joy when the captain announced on the radio, 'We found a kid, he's alive, he's alive,'" Walker told The Associated Press, describing family members listening to the rescue effort.

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a 15-year-old Alaska boy after he spent nearly three days in the frigid Bering Sea. A stock image of a boat in the Bering Sea is seen above. (iStock)

Kulowiyi left behind children, according to the family fundraiser, which had raised more than $42,000 toward a $45,000 goal as of Monday morning.

"Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and communities affected by the tragic loss of these two mariners," Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard Arctic District, said in a statement.

The Coast Guard Arctic District coordinated the search with the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing, Alaska State Troopers and local authorities in Savoonga.

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Neither the Coast Guard nor Alaska State Troopers have said what caused the skiff to capsize.