13-year-old lone survivor after boat carrying family members capsizes in California

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — It’s been a week since a household sportfishing for crab successful California's Bodega Bay went missing. Search efforts person ended, with lone 1 assemblage recovered truthful far.

The lone subsister is 13-year-old Jude Khamnoungkhoune from San Jose. The U.S. Coast Guard initially said that helium was believed to beryllium astir 11.

Jude joined his father, uncle, cousins, and a household person connected their vessel during opening play for Dungeness crab connected Saturday, Nov. 2.

It wasn't agelong earlier their vessel capsized amid ample waves. Jude told Nexstar's KRON the household tried to steer the vessel retired of the waves, but h2o started flooding in.

“We had to enactment our beingness jackets connected and leap overboard,” said Jude. As the vessel went under, its size dragged them with it. “I was benignant of heavy underwater until I swam my mode up, taking successful a batch of saltwater.”

Jude Khamnoungkhoune, 13, is pictured here. (KRON)

In a last heroic act, Jude said his begetter pushed him distant successful a cooler that came from the boat. His begetter fto spell of the cooler, leaving Jude unsocial and floating.

“Something that went done my caput is that I request to marque it to spot my family. See different day,” Jude said. He yet washed ashore and recovered assistance the adjacent morning, aboriginal reuniting with his ma and aunt.

According to the Coast Guard, a teen who had besides been connected the vessel was pronounced dead. The hunt for a 3rd insignificant and the 3 adults who were besides connected the vessel was called off.

Jude has missed a week of schoolhouse since the mishap but is anxious to return, alert that helium is the lone subsister of that tragic day.

“I negociate it by staying beardown and conscionable focusing connected what’s successful beforehand of me, not truly the past unless I person to. I conscionable decided to marque bully decisions and usage my thoughts and encephalon to past during the waves and wind,” said Khamnoungkhoune.

Jude said helium is present surviving with his mom, with his aunt helping them set to beingness without his father.

He told KRON that his father, whom the household called ‘Song,’ loved sportfishing and had been taking him retired connected the h2o since helium was five.

“My dada was a truly comic guy. He had a bully personality. He would assistance the household with anything,” said Jude.

Jude's aunt, Shanice, is supporting the family. They’re holding a vigil connected Saturday, Nov. 16.