Alaska: Teen rescued after several days on capsized boat

A 15-year-old boy was rescued on Monday, September 7, 2026, while he was sitting on the hull of a capsized boat in the Bering Sea, approximately 6 kilometers east of Saint Lawrence Island, Alaska. Two other occupants were found dead.

The 5.5-meter fishing vessel had departed from the village of Savoonga the previous Friday and was scheduled to return on Sunday. Its delay triggered a large-scale search operation, initially complicated by poor weather conditions and low visibility.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, an HC-130 aircraft spotted the teenager around 10:30 am. He was sitting on the overturned hull. The crew dropped a life raft, emergency supplies, and flares to him.

The civilian vessel Northwest Explorer, which was in the area, subsequently rescued him. Suffering from hypothermia, he was taken into care. Authorities have not released his identity, nor that of the two other individuals found deceased.

Aerial and local resources mobilized

The search involved two HC-130 planes and two MH-60 helicopters from the Coast Guard, as well as an aircraft from the Alaska Air National Guard. The state police, Savoonga authorities, and several vessels also participated in the operation.

The three occupants were transported to Nome. The Coast Guard concluded the search after the teenager’s rescue and the recovery of the two victims.