15-year-old rescued after two days clinging to capsized boat in Alaska

A 15‑year‑old boy was rescued on Thursday after spending two days clinging to a capsized boat in the Bering Sea off Alaska’s western coast. The teenager, who was fishing with friends when the vessel overturned, was located by a Coast Guard helicopter after his distress signal was picked up by a passing commercial vessel.

Rescue teams from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Alaska State Troopers and a local fishing crew coordinated the operation, deploying a winch and a life raft to bring the boy aboard the cutter Healy as waves reached 8 feet. He was treated on board for hypothermia and dehydration and later transferred to a hospital in Nome for observation. Officials said the incident underscores the dangers of the Bering Sea’s unpredictable weather and the importance of rapid response capabilities in remote maritime regions.