A 15-year-old boy survived days at sea after a fishing boat capsized off an Alaskan island, killing his older brother and cousin.
The teen was rescued Monday after he was found on the overturned vessel about 4 miles east of St. Lawrence Island, in the Bering Sea, the Coast Guard said in a news release.
Darren Toolie-Noongwook said his family is mourning the death of his brother Sidney, who provided for the family, and “spoiling the hell” out of Parker, the teenage brother who survived.
Video obtained by NBC affiliate KTUU of Anchorage showed the moment the teen was rescued. The boy, appearing to wear a black hoodie underneath a coat with green pants and black boots, is seen kneeling on the vessel.
The group was on an 18-foot fishing vessel near the island when it capsized. The Coast Guard said it was notified of the overdue vessel Sunday night but was unable to begin searching until the next morning because of weather and poor visibility. The boat had last been seen Friday departing Savoonga.
Toolie-Noongwook said the family works in commercial fishing, which requires them to stay out on the water for days at a time.
It’s a difficult and physically taxing job, he said, and the crew were exhausted when a fishing line got caught 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 had 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.”
Sidney was running to get a life jacket to Parker when he got tangled in the lines and the boat flipped. Parker and their cousin were able to climb on the top of the overturned boat together, but Sidney was “the first to go,” Toolie-Noongwook said.
Parker and their cousin were together through the night until, Toolie-Noongwook said, his cousin started to panic.
“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.”
Parker was alone on the top of the boat but felt safe knowing that his older brother was “watching over him,” Toolie-Noongwook said.
“He was sitting on his knees, just praying the whole time,” Toolie-Noongwook 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.”
The teen was located around 3 p.m. Monday and rescued by Northwest Explorer, a “nearby good Samaritan vessel,” with the help of watch standers at the Coast Guard Arctic District command center, according to the Coast Guard.
“Before departing the scene to refuel, the HC-130 aircrew deployed a line of flares to guide the Northwest Explorer to the overturned vessel,” the Coast Guard said.
Adam White, captain of the vessel that found the teenager, told NBC News that his crew were returning back from a NOAA survey when they received a message from the Coast Guard. After having received coordinates for a survivor, White altered their course to look for Parker and prepared supplies to keep him warm.
The seven scientists and six crew members on board all kept their eyes on the water to see whether they could find him.
“When he finally came into view, it was elation from everybody,” White said. “Everybody cheered.”
Parker was unable to get to the rafts near him, stuck on the top of the overturned boat about 8 miles from his last known position, White said. The crew blasted its horn “to give him some hope” that help was on its way.
“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.”
White said the teenager was “moderately” hypothermic once they were able to get him on board. They were able to raise his body temperature until they could get him medical attention.
White was able to meet Parker’s family, which he described as overwhelming.
“We gave each other a really long hug, and they just, they had a lot of joy,” White said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of pain in their eyes — there’s a lot of sorrow. It’s just so much, so much mixed emotions.”
Rear Adm. Bob Little, the commander of the Coast Guard Arctic District command center, said its hearts go out to the families, friends and communities affected by the tragedy.
“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,” Little said.
The family were together when they got the news that Parker was alive. Toolie-Noongwook said they are grieving together.
“It’s going to be a long, long process because of how, how painful this was,” he said. “We’re so happy that he [Parker] survived, but the trauma that comes with it, it hurts us. We’re all in pain for him.”
