A 15-year-old boy was the lone survivor of a fishing vessel that capsized off the coast of Alaska, U.S.A.
According to a release by the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District, the 18-foot commercial fishing vessel capsized 4 miles off the coast of St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, U.S.A. around 6 September with three members on board.
After two days at sea, a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircrew deployed from Air Station Kodiak was able to locate the survivor and used a line of flares to lead a nearby vessel, the Northwest Explorer, to the exact location of the capsized vessel. The 15-year-old boy survived by staying on top of the capsized vessel until he was was retrieved.
“Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and communities affected by the tragic loss of these two mariners," U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District Commander Rear Adm. Bob Little said in the release. “We are grateful for the incredible efforts of the motor vessel Northwest Explorer, federal, state, village first responders, and mission partners who assisted in the effort that resulted in a life saved.”
The vessel was reported to have been last seen Friday at St. Lawrence Island, departing Savoonga, Alaska, and was scheduled to return around 3 a.m. Sunday, 6 September.
According to a report by NBC News, the three onboard fishermen were all members of the same family; two brothers and a cousin. The incident occurred when a fishing line got caught in the boat's motor. The crew were unable to untangle the line, and bad weather conditions moved in on 4 September, eventually causing the vessel to capsize. One of the fishermen was attempting to get a life jacket when he became tangled in the fishing lines, then died. The other fisherman drowned after jumping ship to attempt swimming to find rescue.
The rescue and recovery effort was in coordination with the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing unites 211th Rescue Squadron, the 212th Rescue Squadron from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska State Troopers, and local Savoonga authorities.
The New York Times reported that the crew were fishing for halibut. Poor weather conditions delayed the Coast Guard's ability to deploy help after the incident was reported. The U.S. Coast Guard Arctic encompasses over 3,853,500 square miles and over 47,300 miles of shoreline throughout Alaska and the Arctic, according to the organization's website.
