A 15-year-old boy survived approximately 62 hours stranded on an overturned boat in the Bering Sea after a fishing trip ended in the deaths of his two companions. Derek Parker Aghnaanga was rescued after his skiff capsized near St. Lawrence Island. His brother, 35-year-old Sidney Kulowiyi, and his cousin, 34-year-old Barton Rookok, died during the incident.
The group departed from the village of Savoonga on September 4, 2026, to fish for halibut. They were scheduled to return by approximately 3 a.m. on September 6, 2026. When they failed to arrive, Alaska State Troopers notified the U.S. Coast Guard. Rescuers noted that efforts were initially hampered by dense fog.
A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft spotted Aghnaanga kneeling on the overturned skiff at 10:30 a.m. on September 7, 2026. The Coast Guard requested assistance from the Northwest Explorer, a fishing vessel carrying 13 crew members and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists. The crew reached Aghnaanga and brought him aboard. Captain Adam White reported that the teenager was suffering from cold exposure. The survivor's aunt stated that the boy had attempted to hold onto his relatives after they drowned.
The loss of two adults, aged 34 and 35, impacts the community of Savoonga. The family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to address funeral expenses for the two deceased men. The Coast Guard recovered the bodies of Sidney Kulowiyi and Barton Rookok and transported them and Aghnaanga to Nome, where Aghnaanga was reunited with his family.