A 15-year-old trapped for three days atop a capsized fishing boat in frigid waters off St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, was rescued Monday through the combined efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and a nearby Good Samaritan vessel, as reported by Fox Weather.

Video captured the moment the teenager was reached and brought aboard a boat to safety.

The rescue unfolded near the maritime border between the U.S. and Russia, where water temperatures were reported to be in the 40s.

The teenager was found sitting on top of the overturned fishing vessel after spending three days at sea.

The bodies of two other people were also recovered during the search and rescue operation.

According to the Coast Guard, the group’s 18-foot fishing vessel had departed from the city of Savoonga on Friday, Sep. 4.

The vessel later became overdue, prompting authorities to begin looking for those aboard.

The search officially began Sunday after Alaska State Troopers notified the Coast Guard about the overdue boat.

Crews then worked to locate the missing vessel and the people who had left Savoonga aboard it.

A Coast Guard plane spotted the stranded teenager at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time Monday.

From the aircraft, Coast Guard personnel directed a nearby Good Samaritan vessel toward the teenager’s location.

The Good Samaritan boat reached the survivor and brought the teenager aboard.

Video of the rescue shows the critical moment when the teen was taken from the capsized fishing boat and moved to safety.

INCREDIBLE RESCUE : A 15-year-old who had been trapped for three days atop a capsized fishing boat in the in the frigid waters off St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, was rescued on Monday by the U.S. Coast Guard and a good Samaritan boat. Video shows the moment the teenager was saved… pic.twitter.com/HCZSKSwAEN

— FOX Weather (@foxweather) September 12, 2026

The teenager was experiencing hypothermia when rescuers arrived.

NOAA data showed that the water temperatures in the area were in the 40s, adding urgency to the operation in the remote Alaska waters.

The Coast Guard and Good Samaritans participated in the rescue near St. Lawrence Island.

Their response ended with the teenager being saved after three days and the bodies of the two other people being recovered.

After the operation, the teenager and the bodies of the two victims were transported to Nome, Alaska.

The source did not provide additional information about the teenager’s condition after the transfer.

Rear Adm. Bob Little, Commander of the Arctic District, addressed both the loss of the two mariners and the response that resulted in the teenager being rescued.

His remarks were included in a Coast Guard news release.

"Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and communities affected by the tragic loss of these two mariners," Little said, recognizing the people and communities affected by the deaths.

Little also credited the vessel and emergency partners that assisted with the mission.

The operation involved the motor vessel Northwest Explorer along with federal, state, and village responders and mission partners.

"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."

The rescue depended on cooperation between the Coast Guard aircraft and the Good Samaritan vessel already in the area.

After spotting the teen from the air, the Coast Guard was able to guide that vessel directly toward the stranded survivor.

The sequence began with the overdue vessel report on Sunday, continued with the aerial sighting Monday morning, and ended with the teenager aboard a rescue boat.

Three days after departing Savoonga, one teenager was brought to safety while two victims were recovered.

The incident combined a successful rescue with a devastating loss for the families, friends and communities connected to the two mariners.

The teenager’s discovery atop the capsized boat provided rescuers the chance to save a life in the frigid waters off St. Lawrence Island.

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