Tragedy at sea leaves teen stranded on overturned boat for nearly 3 days in frigid waters

The U.S.Coast Guard pulled off a compelling rescue this week.

The rescue, which unfolded Monday, was announced Wednesday.

A 15-year-old Alaska boy was found atop an overturned fishing boat — after nearly three days in the frigid waters of theBering Sea. 

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The teen was found alive — with his teeth chattering — about 4 miles east of St.Lawrence Island, a remote island in the Bering Sea roughly 100 miles west of mainland Alaska and about 40 miles from Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula, according to multiple reports, including from The Associated Press. 

His fishing vessel, last seen Friday departing Savoonga for St.Lawrence Island, had missed its scheduled return early Sunday morning.

The 15-year-old boy was found about four miles east of St.Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, roughly 40 miles from Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula, seen above.(iStock)

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The boy was thelone survivorafter the other two people aboard the vessel — his 16-year-old brother and their 39-year-old cousin — perished.

The teen was experiencing symptoms of hypothermia when he was found, according to reports.

The fishing vessel Northwest Explorer rescued the boy after Coast Guard aircrews dropped a life raft and coordinated the recovery.

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Lt.Cmdr.Jonathon Resch, the Coast Guard pilot who located the teen, told ABC News that he and his teamwere “elated”to find him.

“People don’t survive those scenarios,” Resch said. 

The Coast Guard said the boy was found about four miles east of remote St.Lawrence Island, seen above, in the Bering Sea.(Ann Johansson/Corbis via Getty Images)

“People don’t flip boats and survive nights.”

Resch also said he “just happen[ed] to be looking out the window at the right angle of sun” when he spotted the teen’s raft, he told the same outlet. 

The search involved the Coast Guard, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, the Alaska Air National Guard, Alaska State Troopers and local authorities — with multiple planes and helicopters deployed.

In a statement, Coast Guard Arctic District commander Rear Adm.Bob Little called the loss of the two mariners “tragic.”

“We are grateful for the incredible efforts of the motor vessel Northwest Explorer, [plus] federal, state, village first responders and mission partners who assisted in the effort that resulted in a life saved,” Little said.

 

A Coast Guard pilot spotted the teenage survivor during a search involving multiple aircraft, helicopters and partner agencies.(Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

The boy’s mother was listening to a radio transmission of the rescue Monday while other family members huddled around a speakerphone, one of them told the AP.

“We all cried and jumped for joy when the captain announced on the radio, ‘We found a kid, he’s alive, he’s alive,’” the family member said.“Then we asked, ‘Where’s the rest of them?’”

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Video of the rescue shows the boy in a bright yellow jacket kneeling atop the overturned skiff.The boat’s crew tossed him a line, tugging the skiff closer until they could pull him into a rescue basket.

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The bodies of his two deceased family members were recovered. 

com/travel/coast-guard-rescues-family-stranded-days-pacific-boat-engine-sets-them-adrift" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">another dramatic rescueafter a family of three was found alive following nearly a week adrift in the Pacific Ocean.

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The family’s boat engine failed — prompting a Coast Guard rescue.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.