Daring Rescue of Teen in Bering Sea

The U.S. Coast Guard achieved a remarkable rescue this week. On Monday, a 15-year-old boy from Alaska was found on an overturned fishing boat after nearly three days in the icy waters of the Bering Sea. This news was announced on Wednesday.

The boy was discovered four miles east of St. Lawrence Island, a remote location in the Bering Sea about 100 miles west of mainland Alaska and 40 miles from Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula. Reports from the Associated Press and others confirmed his survival.

The teenager was the sole survivor after the other two aboard, his 16-year-old brother and their 39-year-old cousin, tragically passed away. When discovered, he showed symptoms of hypothermia.

The rescue was conducted by the fishing vessel Northwest Explorer. Coast Guard aircrews had previously dropped a life raft and coordinated the rescue efforts. Lt. Cmdr. Jonathon Resch, the Coast Guard pilot responsible for locating the teen, expressed relief and joy to ABC News, stating that such survival was rare.

The effort involved multiple agencies: the Coast Guard, Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, Alaska Air National Guard, Alaska State Troopers, and local authorities. Several planes and helicopters were deployed.

Coast Guard Arctic District commander Rear Adm. Bob Little described the loss of the two mariners as tragic in an official statement. He commended the efforts of the motor vessel Northwest Explorer, federal and state responders, village first responders, and mission partners.

The boy’s mother was able to hear the rescue efforts through a radio transmission. Family members listened as the captain announced the boy’s survival. Video footage showed the teen in a yellow jacket, kneeling on the overturned skiff as he was brought to safety.

The deceased family members’ bodies were recovered. Earlier in the year, Fox News had reported on another dramatic rescue when a family was found after spending nearly a week adrift in the Pacific Ocean due to an engine failure.