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Alaska boy who survived 62 hours at sea 'tried to hang onto' bodies of brother, cousin

New York Post • September 14, 2026 • nation

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A 15-year-old Alaska teen, Derek Parker Aghnaanga, survived 62 hours at sea after a boat capsized near St. Lawrence Island, while his brother and cousin tragically drowned.
The boat overturned possibly due to a fishing line tangling in the motor, causing the small skiff to flip and drift into the Bering Sea on September 4.
The Coast Guard rescued Derek on September 7, after being alerted by Alaska State Troopers when the fishing party failed to return home.
Derek survived by praying continuously without food or water, while his brother Sidney Kulowiyi, the skiff’s captain, drowned under the boat and cousin Barton Rookok died after initially surviving alongside Derek.
The bodies of Sidney and Barton were recovered, and the family has honored Sidney’s memory by naming a newborn grandson after him.

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