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Coast Guard Rescues Hypothermic Teen After Bering Sea Capsize

By Drooid · Sep 14, 2026, 10:20 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Coast Guard Rescues Teen

U.S. Coast Guard rescued 15-year-old Derek Parker Aghnaanga after his skiff capsized in the Bering Sea.
He and two companions departed St. Lawrence Island on September 4 to fish for halibut, expected back September 6.
Alaska State Troopers and the Coast Guard began a search after the trio failed to return on September 6.
The fishing vessel Northwest Explorer, with 13 crew and NOAA scientists, arrived four hours after dispatch to assist.

Summary

Rescue Crew Warms

Rescue crews observed Aghnaanga showing hypothermia signs, including shivering and numb extremities.
The Northwest Explorer crew wrapped him in blankets and applied hot packs to raise his temperature.
A Coast Guard aircrew dropped a rescue raft and emergency supplies onto the skiff before contacting the fishing vessel.
Family members listened to the live radio broadcast and cheered when the captain announced the boy was alive.

History

Historical Context

The 1912 sinking of RMS Titanic spurred the 1913 creation of the U.S. Coast Guard’s International Ice Patrol, which together with the 1914 SOLAS convention mandated 24-hour radio watch and lifeboat standards. Operating each season since then, the patrol has recorded zero iceberg-related loss of life, a legacy that guided today’s Arctic rescue of Derek Aghnaanga.

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Coast Guard Rescues Teen

U.S. Coast Guard rescued 15-year-old Derek Parker Aghnaanga after his skiff capsized in the Bering Sea.
He and two companions departed St. Lawrence Island on September 4 to fish for halibut, expected back September 6.
Alaska State Troopers and the Coast Guard began a search after the trio failed to return on September 6.
The fishing vessel Northwest Explorer, with 13 crew and NOAA scientists, arrived four hours after dispatch to assist.

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