%20New%20Logo_4.jpg){kind=small}
Teen rescued after days stranded in the waters off Alaska
The teenager was found alive near St. Lawrence Island after the 18-foot fishing boat capsized in the Bering Sea. His brother and cousin were also aboard but were later found dead.
A Fishing Trip Turns Into a Fight for Survival
The three family members left Savoonga, Alaska, on Friday, Sept. 4, aboard the small fishing skiff. They were expected to return early Sunday morning, but the boat never came back.
Authorities were notified Sunday evening that the vessel was overdue, prompting the U.S. Coast Guard to launch a search.
The search continued as rescuers battled the challenging conditions around St. Lawrence Island and the Bering Sea. On Monday, Sept. 7, the bodies of two of the missing boaters were recovered from the water roughly four miles east of the island.
Rescuers Spot the Teenager
The breakthrough came when a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft spotted the teenager clinging to the overturned vessel.
The aircraft crew deployed a life raft and survival equipment while coordinating with vessels in the area.
A 162-foot fishing vessel, the Northwest Explorer, was ultimately directed toward the capsized boat. Coast Guard aircraft used flares to help guide the ship toward the teenager before the aircraft had to leave to refuel.
After hours of searching, the ship's crew finally spotted the boy waving through binoculars.
Captain Adam White later described the rescue as an extraordinary moment, calling the teenager “one remarkably tough kid.”
He Was Suffering From Hypothermia
When rescuers reached the teenager, he was experiencing symptoms of hypothermia after spending days exposed to the cold waters and harsh conditions.
Despite the ordeal, he was alive and able to communicate with rescuers.
According to reports, the teenager told the rescuers that he had tried to hold onto his brother and cousin after they entered the water. His family later said he stayed with them for as long as he could before their bodies were recovered.
A Rescue That Came Too Late for Two Others
While the teenager survived, the search ended with the heartbreaking discovery of his two relatives.
The Coast Guard expressed condolences to the families and praised the coordinated efforts of federal, state and local responders, as well as the crew of the Northwest Explorer and other mission partners who helped bring the teenager to safety.
The circumstances that caused the fishing boat to capsize remain under investigation.
Family Speaks Out After Miraculous Survival
For the teenager's family, his rescue has brought both relief and profound grief.
He survived an ordeal that left him exposed in one of the world's harshest marine environments, while losing two people who had been beside him on the fishing trip.
The dramatic rescue is now being remembered not only as a remarkable survival story, but also as a testament to the persistence of rescuers who refused to give up the search.
After days alone in the Bering Sea, the 15-year-old was finally brought to safety — alive against extraordinary odds.
Source: NBC News
Comments