A 15-year-old boy was rescued this week after being adrift in the frigid waters of the Bering Sea off Alaska, clinging to an overturned boat for several days. The United States Coast Guard reported that the boy was eventually rescued, but sadly, his brother and cousin died after the boat capsized.
According to CBC, rescue teams found the teenager near St. Lawrence Island and recovered the bodies of the two deceased individuals. St. Lawrence Island is a remote island in Alaska, closer to Russia than to the mainland of the United States.
Captain Adam White of the fishing vessel “The Northwest Explorer” mentioned that the boy held onto the overturned boat for three days. “He is a very resilient child,” White said in an interview with KTUU television.
The family had reported the disappearance of the three individuals to the authorities the previous night. The Coast Guard dispatched planes and helicopters on Monday, September 7th to begin the search. The identities of the three individuals were not disclosed by the authorities.
The Coast Guard stated that the three individuals had left St. Lawrence Island the previous Friday and were supposed to return early Sunday morning but did not.
On Monday morning, a Coast Guard aircraft spotted the teenager. Rescue teams immediately dropped a life raft and supplies and contacted the nearby fishing vessel “The Northwest Explorer” for assistance.
Rescue footage showed the teenager in a bright yellow jacket kneeling on the overturned boat. The crew of the fishing vessel threw a rope to him, gradually pulling the overturned boat closer and eventually hoisting the teenager into the rescue basket.
The Coast Guard reported that the teenager showed symptoms of hypothermia upon being rescued and boarding the fishing vessel.
The captain mentioned that the crew promptly used blankets and heat packs to warm him up.
White said that the boy told the crew after being rescued that his brother was still underneath the overturned boat. “He was shivering and told us his brother was still under the boat,” White said.
The teenager also mentioned that his cousin had slipped off the side of the boat and disappeared the night before the rescue.