A 15-year-old Alaska teenager, Derek Parker Aghnaanga, has been rescued after spending nearly three days stranded on an overturned fishing skiff in the frigid Bering Sea. Aghnaanga was spotted on Monday morning by a fishing vessel, the Northwest Explorer, approximately four miles east of St. Lawrence Island.
According to rescuers, Aghnaanga told them that his 35-year-old brother, Sidney Kulowiyi, had remained beneath the skiff after it capsized, and that their cousin had slipped away during the night before the rescue. Aghnaanga was experiencing symptoms of hypothermia when he was rescued, but was treated by crew members who wrapped him in blankets and used hot packs to warm him.
The three had been on a fishing trip that departed from the remote Alaska Native village of Savoonga on Friday, and were reported missing by family members on Sunday night. A search effort involving the Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers, and other state and local agencies was launched, and ultimately led to the rescue of Aghnaanga and the recovery of the bodies of Kulowiyi and their cousin.
The family of the deceased men has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the family of Kulowiyi, who left behind children. The page has already raised over $42,000 towards a goal of $45,000.
The cause of the skiff's capsize has not been determined, and is currently under investigation.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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