Story perspectives

Coast Guard rescues 15-year-old after two-day ordeal

By Drooid · Sep 12, 2026, 2:10 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Coast Guard Rescues

U.S. Coast Guard rescued 15-year-old Derek Parker Aghnaanga from an overturned skiff near St. Lawrence Island.
Aghnaanga had clung to the skiff for roughly two days before rescue.
His older brother Sidney Kulowiyi and a cousin were found dead and later recovered.
Coast Guard aircraft spotted the boy Monday and dropped a raft and supplies.
Rescuers treated his hypothermia with blankets and hot packs aboard the vessel.

Summary

Coast Guard Rescue

Investigators said the boat’s motor became entangled in a fishing line, triggering the capsizing.
The Coast Guard search involved the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing and the 211th and 212th Rescue Squadrons.
Alaska State Troopers and village first responders joined the Arctic District’s coordination effort.
The vessel Northwest Explorer was returning from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientific survey when redirected to the rescue.

History

Historical Context

On March 24 1989 the Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef, spilling roughly 11 million gallons of crude and prompting a Coast Guard response that deployed 33 cutters and aircraft. The disaster led to the 1990 Oil Pollution Act and stricter Arctic rescue protocols, which today guide the Coast Guard, NOAA scientists, and the Alaska Air National Guard in locating a capsized skiff.

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Coast Guard Rescues

U.S. Coast Guard rescued 15-year-old Derek Parker Aghnaanga from an overturned skiff near St. Lawrence Island.
Aghnaanga had clung to the skiff for roughly two days before rescue.
His older brother Sidney Kulowiyi and a cousin were found dead and later recovered.
Coast Guard aircraft spotted the boy Monday and dropped a raft and supplies.
Rescuers treated his hypothermia with blankets and hot packs aboard the vessel.

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