Full Breakdown
Alaskan Teen Survives Three Days on Capsized Skiff, Reveals Tragic Loss of Family
By Drooid · · How we work
Rescue After Three Days at Sea
In early September, a 15-year-old boy from St. Lawrence Island was rescued after his small halibut-fishing skiff capsized in the Bering Sea. The Coast Guard located the teen clinging to the overturned vessel around mid-morning on the third day, following a report from Alaska State Troopers that the party had not returned home. The fishing vessel *Northwest Explorer* and its crew of 13 were dispatched to retrieve him and transport him to Nome.
The Harrowing Ordeal
The teen, Derek Parker Aghnaanga, remained on the exposed hull for roughly 62 hours, enduring near-freezing water (about 10 °C) and lacking food or water. According to his mother, his older brother, 35-year-old Sidney Kulowiyi, died after becoming trapped beneath the skiff, and his cousin, 34-year-old Barton Rookok, slipped off and drowned. A family member confirmed that the brother was the boat’s captain.
Official Response and Rescue Operations
Coast Guard personnel wrapped Aghnaanga in blankets and kept him talking to stave off hypothermia while the *Northwest Explorer* headed toward Nome. The vessel’s captain, Adam White, described the scene as “unbelievable” and noted the extreme cold of the water. The rescue footage shows crew members approaching the overturned boat and spotting a living figure on top of the hull.
Community Support and Aftermath
A GoFundMe campaign launched to assist Aghnaanga’s family with funeral costs and other needs; it has nearly reached its $40,000 target. The incident has drawn attention to the dangers of small-boat fishing in the Bering Sea and the importance of rapid search-and-rescue coordination.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Through the teeth chattering, he had mentioned that his brother was still under the skiff and then he said that in the previous night before our rescue that his cousin had slipped away off the top of the skiff,” — Adam White, captain of the Northwest Explorer
- “We saw the unusual object on the horizon. We blasted our horn a couple times,” — Adam White, captain of the Northwest Explorer
- “It’s unbelievable. It’s remarkable, and it’s cold. The water is 10 degrees Celsius,” — Adam White, captain of the Northwest Explorer
- “Saturday, all the way to Tuesday, that kid was on top of that skiff. I mean, that’s one tough kid,” — Adam White, captain of the Northwest Explorer