Alaska: Derek Parker Aghnaanga survives 62 hours lost at sea after boat capsize kills brother, cousin
Terrifying details have emerged of how a 15-year-old boy survived 62 hours stranded in icy waters.
A 15-year-old has spent 62 hours on top of an overturned boat in icy temperatures while clutching onto the bodies of his cousin and brother.
Derek Parker Aghnaanga was the lone survivor when a boat he was on with his brother and cousin capsized in the icy waters off Alaska.
The trio had set off from St Lawrence Island on September 4 and were expected to return on September 6.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.When they did not make it back, the Coast Guard launched a search for the fishing vessel.
Around 10.30am on September 7, the Coast Guard spotted an overturned boat from the sky with a boy sitting on top.
The teenager was pulled to safety by a nearby fishing vessel, and showed signs of hypothermia and was hungry and dehydrated.
Captain of the rescue vessel, Northwest Explorer, told Alaska’s News Source the boy’s survival was “unbelievable”.
“It’s remarkable and it’s cold,” Adam White said.
“The water is 10 degrees Celsius.
“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.”
His family told the outlet Derek tried to hold onto the boat after the other two drowned.
In a GoFundMe established for the family, the organiser Colleen Walker wrote the two who died, did so “doing what (they) loved”.
“(Derek) tried to hang onto them as long as he could after they drowned,” she wrote.
“Eventually their bodies were found and retrieved.”
The teenager’s older brother, died after becoming stuck under the boat and his cousin survived an extra day before he, too, died.
“Saturday, all the way to Tuesday, that kid was on top of that skiff,” Mr White said.
“I mean, that’s one tough kid.”
Ms Walker told AP the family was listening to the radio transmission during the search.
“We all cried and jumped for joy when the captain announced on the radio, ‘We found a kid, he’s alive, he’s alive,’” she said.
“Then we asked, ‘Where’s the rest of them?’”
Mr White said it was an emotional situation.
“When you look into a family member’s eyes... there’s gratitude, but sorrow at the same time,” he said.
“I know I became overwhelmed with it so I had to go hide in my room for a minute.”
The reason for the capsize has not yet been determined.
