Two family members died in the incident before passing research vessel was able to pick up lone survivor
A teenager has been rescued after clinging for days to an upturned boat which capsized off the coast of Alaska, killing two family members.
Derek Parker Aghnaanga (15) was aboard the fishing vessel which failed to return as expected on Sunday to Savoonga, a small village on the northern tip of St Lawrence Island.
The boy, known as Parker, had set sail on the Bering Sea two days earlier to catch halibut with his older brother Sidney Kulowiyi (35) and a cousin, whose name and age have not been disclosed.
The family are understood to work in commercial fishing, and at some point on their expedition a fishing line got caught in the boat’s motor.
Darren Toolie-Noongwook, a family member, told NBC News that Mr Kulowiyi became tangled in the lines after attempting to pass a life jacket to his brother, causing the boat to capsize.
The 15-year-old boy and his cousin were able to climb on top of the overturned vessel, but Mr Kulowiyi was “the first to go,” Mr Toolie-Noongwook said.
After surviving the night, the cousin began to panic about remaining at sea and “jumped ship”, he added, swimming around five to six feet before drowning in the icy waters.
Mr Aghnaanga remained kneeling on the hull and praying to be rescued until US Coast Guard members spotted him on Monday.
The maritime agency became aware of the missing vessel on Sunday night, but rescue efforts were halted until the next day because of poor visibility.
The US Coast Guard said in a statement that a Hercules aircrew identified the boat eight miles from its last known position at around 3pm local time on Monday. Officers deployed a rescue raft and alerted nearby vessels to join the recovery mission.
Adam White, captain of the vessel that rescued the teenager, told NBC News that its crew blasted its horn several times “to give him some hope” that help was on its way.
Mr White’s team, made up of seven scientists and six crew members, was returning back from conducting an official ocean survey when it received a message from the US Coast Guard asking for assistance.
The teenager was filmed in a black hoodie kneeling on the overturned boat when the crew found him, before climbing aboard their vessel.
“When he finally came into view, it was elation from everybody,” Mr White said. “Everybody cheered.”
The boy was showing symptoms of mild hypothermia, but has since received medical attention, the US Coast Guard said in a statement.
The bodies of his two dead relatives were later recovered from the water and transported back to land, the maritime agency added.
Rear-Adml Bob Little, the commander of the Arctic District command centre that coordinated the rescue effort, said: “Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and communities affected by the tragic loss of these two mariners.
“We are grateful for the incredible efforts of the motor vessel Northwest Explorer, Federal, State, Village first responders and mission partners who assisted in the effort that resulted in a life saved.”