A 15-year-old boy who spent three days stranded at sea made a heartbreaking revelation as rescuers pulled him to safety.
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Derek Parker Aghnaanga was found sitting on top of an overturned boat in the Bering Sea off Alaska after the vessel departed from St. Lawrence Island on Friday, September 4.
As rescuers pulled the teenager to safety, he told them that his brother's body remained on the boat. He also revealed that his cousin had slipped away and died the previous night.
Alaska Boat Rescue Reveals Tragic Fate of Teen's Relatives
Adam White, the captain of the vessel that found Aghnaanga, has since spoken about the harrowing rescue.
"Through the teeth chattering, he had mentioned that his brother was still under the skiff and then he said that in the previous night before our rescue his cousin had slipped away off the top of the skiff," he said.
White added that his crew spotted an "unusual object on the horizon" and proceeded to blast the vessel's horn multiple times.
They soon realized someone was sitting on top of the overturned boat.
"It's unbelievable. It's remarkable, and it's cold. The water is 10 degrees Celsius," White added.
When the fishing vessel failed to return as scheduled on Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard launched a search operation.
On Monday morning, a Coast Guard aircrew spotted Aghnaanga sitting on top of the overturned boat. White and his crew then reached the teenager and pulled him to safety.
Teenager Recovering After Three-Day Ordeal at Sea
Officials said Aghnaanga showed signs of hypothermia when rescuers found him.
The teenager's mother, Vina Kulowiyi, said her son and his older brother had gone fishing to provide food for members of their community.
The family comes from Savoonga, a village of around 800 people where residents often struggle to access meat at their local store.
"My boys were born and raised to be providers. A tradition that is passed on," Kulowiyi wrote on Facebook. "We hunt and provide for families and share the community."
She said her surviving son is now recovering at home following the tragic ordeal.
Kulowiyi described him as "my survivor" and said that "his story is amazing. He was never afraid the whole time."
She added that he sat "praying the whole time" while stranded at sea.
