Alaskan Teen Survived 62 Hours in Frigid Bering Sea After Boat Capsized: How Did He Stay Alive?

A 15-year-old Alaskan boy, Derek Parker Aghnaanga from Savoonga, was found alive after about 62 hours stranded on an overturned 18-foot fishing skiff in the Bering Sea. He was spotted near St. Lawrence Island on 7 September, following a search that initially faced dense fog. The US Coast Guard said the teen stayed on the capsized hull rather than swimming away, limiting his exposure to cold water and enabling survival despite wind, exposure, and the lack of food or fresh water. Authorities reported his 35-year-old brother/captain, Sidney Kulowiyi, drowned after becoming trapped, while a cousin later slipped into the sea.