The US Coast Guard confirmed on Tuesday that only one of three boaters missing off the Alaskan coast survived, after their 18-foot fishing vessel capsized near St Lawrence Island. A 15-year-old was found clinging to the overturned skiff on Monday, suffering symptoms of hypothermia, while the bodies of two other mariners were recovered from the water nearby. The incident highlights the dangers of small-vessel fishing trips in remote, cold Alaskan waters, particularly when poor weather delays rescue efforts.

Alaska State Troopers alerted the Coast Guard on Sunday evening after the boat failed to return as expected at 3am. Poor weather and low visibility prevented rescuers from launching a search until Monday morning, when an aircrew spotted the teenage survivor and dropped a raft with survival equipment. A good Samaritan vessel then assisted, pulling the boy from the water and recovering the two bodies, before all three were taken to Nome, Alaska.