The boat departed from Savoonga, Alaska, on Friday, September 4. There were three cousins on board: a 15-year-old, his adult older brother—who was the boat’s captain—and another cousin. They went out to fish for halibut in the Bering Sea and were supposed to return early Sunday, but they never made it back.
The boat, only 18 feet long, capsized Friday night, after a fishing line became tangled in the engine. The older brother became trapped beneath the boat. The teenager and his cousin managed to climb onto the overturned hull and spend the first night together.
When the disappearance was reported, bad weather and poor visibility prevented the Coast Guard from beginning the aerial search until Monday morning. By then, the teenager had spent several days on the boat, without food or water.
The cousin held out alongside him for approximately another day, but eventually fell into the water and died. The 15-year-old was the only one who held on, clinging to the overturned hull. As he waited, he remained on his knees and prayed, convinced he would survive.
On Monday morning, a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft located him about four kilometers east of St. Lawrence Island. A 162-foot fishing vessel, the Northwest Explorer, carrying NOAA scientists on board, received the coordinates and came to the rescue. Its captain sounded the horn so the teenager would know he was not alone.
The young man, who was showing symptoms of hypothermia, was eventually rescued and taken to Nome along with the bodies of his brother and cousin.