Teen survives days on capsized boat in Bering Sea

A 15-year-old boy was rescued alive Monday after clinging for days to an overturned fishing boat in the Bering Sea, where his older brother and cousin drowned after the vessel capsized off Alaska’s St. Lawrence Island, the Coast Guard said.

The teenager, identified by his family as Parker, was found on top of the capsized 18-foot vessel about 4 miles east of St. Lawrence Island and roughly 8 miles from the boat’s last known position. An aircrew located him around 3 p.m. Monday, and the nearby vessel Northwest Explorer pulled him to safety with help from Coast Guard watch standers at the Arctic District command center.

The fishing boat had last been seen Friday departing Savoonga, a village on St. Lawrence Island. The group was expected back early Sunday but did not return. The Coast Guard said it was notified Sunday night that the vessel was overdue, but weather and poor visibility delayed the start of the search until Monday morning.

Darren Toolie-Noongwook, Parker’s brother, said the family works in commercial fishing, a physically demanding job that can keep crews on the water for days. He said the crew was exhausted when a fishing line became tangled in the boat’s motor.

“Once the motor got caught in the fishing line, they tried to untangle it, but they couldn’t because of how bad it was tangled,” Toolie-Noongwook said, recounting what Parker told the family. “So they were just sitting, and then later on at the end of the night, the weather got bad and the boat flipped.”

Toolie-Noongwook said their older brother, Sidney, was trying to get a life jacket to Parker when he became tangled in lines as the boat overturned. Parker and their cousin made it onto the overturned hull, but Sidney was “the first to go,” he said.

Parker and his cousin stayed together through the night, Toolie-Noongwook said, until the cousin panicked and jumped from the boat.

“The other crew member — our cousin — he started freaking out, and he jumped ship,” he said. “And he only swam five to six feet, and he sadly had drowned.”

The Coast Guard said the bodies of the two victims were recovered.

Alone on the overturned boat, Parker spent the time praying, his brother said. “He said he believed he was going to make it. He believed that he was gonna be found and he was gonna be safe, and it happened,” Toolie-Noongwook said.

The Coast Guard said an HC-130 aircrew dropped a raft and survival equipment after spotting the teen. Before leaving to refuel, the aircrew deployed a line of flares to guide the Northwest Explorer to the capsized vessel.

Adam White, captain of the Northwest Explorer, told NBC News his crew was returning from a NOAA survey when the Coast Guard sent coordinates for a survivor. The seven scientists and six crew members aboard watched the water as they approached.

“When he finally came into view, it was elation from everybody,” White said. “Everybody cheered.”

White said Parker could not reach rafts near him, so the crew sounded the horn “to give him some hope” before throwing a heaving line.

“We were lucky enough, because the kid was so tough, so strong that that he was able to grab a hold of a heaving line that we threw to him,” White said. “And he was able to hold on while we sort of reeled him in. And I just, like, can’t believe how tough this kid is.”

Parker was “moderately” hypothermic when brought aboard, White said. The crew worked to raise his body temperature until he could receive medical care.

Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard Arctic District, said, “Our hearts go out to the families, friends and communities affected by the tragic loss of these two mariners.” He thanked the Northwest Explorer, first responders and mission partners “who assisted in the effort that resulted in a life saved.”

Toolie-Noongwook said the family was together when it learned Parker had survived. They are mourning Sidney, who he said provided for the family, while “spoiling the hell” out of Parker.

“It’s going to be a long, long process because of how, how painful this was,” he said. “We’re so happy that he survived, but the trauma that comes with it, it hurts us. We’re all in pain for him.”