Alaska Teen Survives 62 Hours at Sea After Losing His Brother and Cousin

A 15-Year-Old Faces an Unimaginable Ordeal

A 15-year-old Alaska boy survived more than 62 hours on the open sea after the small fishing boat carrying him, his older brother and his cousin overturned near St. Lawrence Island.

Derek Parker Aghnaanga was eventually found alone on the overturned skiff, exhausted and suffering from symptoms of hypothermia.

His survival came after an ordeal that left his family facing an enormous loss.

He Tried to Stay Close to His Family

According to relatives, Derek tried to hold onto his brother and cousin for as long as he could after they were no longer able to survive.

His 35-year-old brother, Sidney Kulowiyi, had become trapped beneath the overturned boat. His 34-year-old cousin, Barton Rookok, remained with Derek for a period of time before eventually slipping away from the boat.

Derek was then left alone in the middle of the Bering Sea.

For a teenager already facing an unimaginable situation, being left without the two family members who had been beside him made the ordeal even more heartbreaking.

More Than Two Days With No Food or Water

Derek remained on the overturned vessel for roughly 62 hours, enduring cold conditions and waves without food or drinking water.

His mother, Vina Kulowiyi, said her son told the family that he spent much of the ordeal praying.

Relatives said faith helped him keep going while he waited and hoped that someone would find him.

The Search Finally Leads Rescuers to Him

The family became concerned when the fishing party failed to return as expected.

Authorities were eventually alerted, and the U.S. Coast Guard began searching for the missing boaters.

On Sept. 7, a Coast Guard aircraft spotted the overturned skiff several miles from St. Lawrence Island.

A nearby fishing vessel, the Northwest Explorer, was directed toward the scene to help.

Rescuers Found a Teen Who Refused to Give Up

When the crew reached Derek, he was still on top of the overturned boat.

Captain Adam White recalled that the teenager was suffering from the cold but was able to communicate with rescuers despite his condition.

The crew wrapped him in blankets, kept him talking and began the journey toward Nome, where he could finally be reunited with his family.

After more than two days alone at sea, Derek had survived.

His Family Is Now Mourning Two Loved Ones

While Derek made it home, his family is grieving the loss of Sidney and Barton.

The tragedy has left the family trying to process both the devastating loss and the remarkable survival of the teenager.

His mother has also shared that a newborn in the family was named after Sidney, giving the family another deeply emotional connection to the loved one they lost.

A Teenager’s Extraordinary Will to Survive

There are still unanswered questions about exactly what caused the boat to overturn, with accounts differing on the precise timing and circumstances of the accident.

But there is no question about the extraordinary endurance Derek showed.

Cold, exhausted and alone, he held on for more than two days until help finally arrived.

A Rescue His Family Will Never Forget

For Derek’s loved ones, the rescue represents both heartbreak and hope.

They lost two family members during the ordeal, but they also got Derek back.

His survival after 62 hours at sea is a powerful reminder of how far a person can push through fear, exhaustion and impossible circumstances when there is still hope of making it home.

For a family now facing profound grief, Derek’s return is a small light in the middle of an incredibly painful chapter.