A 15-year-old boy endured days in the icy Bering Sea after an 18-foot skiff capsized, clinging to the overturned vessel while trying to keep hold of his older brother and another crew member before both men drowned.
The teen, identified by relatives as Derek Parker, was discovered alive Monday afternoon on the overturned boat roughly 4 miles east of Alaska’s St. Lawrence Island, the US Coast Guard said.
His older brother, who had been captaining the skiff, and a second crew member were later recovered dead from the water.
Derek’s mother told Alaska News Source that her youngest son survived for days with no food or water after the vessel flipped. She said his older brother became trapped underneath the boat, while the third person aboard managed to stay alive with Derek for about another day before dying.
Relatives said the teenager fought to hold onto both men, even after they had drowned.
“He held onto the other two as long as he can even after they drowned. He is alive,” his aunt wrote in an emotional Facebook post.
The group had left the Siberian Yupik village of Savoonga on Friday and was supposed to be back by 3 a.m. Sunday, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
Alaska State Troopers notified the Coast Guard at about 8:30 p.m. Sunday that the three had not returned as expected.
Poor weather and limited visibility prevented a Coast Guard aircraft from reaching the search area until Monday morning, while troopers and local authorities searched from shore.
At about 3 p.m., an HC-130 Hercules aircrew spotted the overturned boat and the teenager clinging to it.
The crew dropped a life raft and survival equipment, then coordinated with the nearby fishing vessel Northwest Explorer to reach him.
“Before departing the scene to refuel, the HC-130 aircrew deployed a line of flares to guide the Northwest Explorer to the overturned vessel,” the Coast Guard said.
The fishing vessel rescued Derek, who was suffering symptoms of hypothermia, and recovered the two unresponsive men from the water. All three were taken to Nome.
The older brother, whose name was not provided, leaves behind two children, according to Alaska’s News Source.
A family GoFundMe described the tragedy as a devastating loss for the small community.
“My nephew and one of his crew members passed away doing what he loved, out in the Bering Sea. My other nephew was found alive. Our village is mourning the loss of two,” the fundraiser states.
The family is seeking donations to help with travel and to bring the deceased men home.
The aunt said the funds would also support her sister and the surviving teenager.
“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’s Arctic District, said in a statement.
“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.”
Savoonga, a village of about 800 people, sits on the northern coast of St. Lawrence Island, more than 160 miles west of Nome and roughly 40 miles from Russia.
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