SAN JOSE, Calif. ( KRON ) — It’s been a week since a family fishing for crab in California’s Bodega Bay went missing. Search efforts have ended, with only one body recovered so far.
The lone survivor is 13-year-old Jude Khamnoungkhoune from San Jose. The U.S. Coast Guard initially said that he was believed to be about 11.
Jude joined his father, uncle, cousins, and a family friend on their boat during opening weekend for Dungeness crab on Saturday, Nov. 2.
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It wasn’t long before their boat capsized amid large waves. Jude told Nexstar’s KRON the family tried to steer the boat out of the waves, but water started flooding in.
“We had to put our life jackets on and jump overboard,” said Jude. As the boat went under, its size dragged them with it. “I was kind of deep underwater until I swam my way up, taking in a lot of saltwater.”
In a final heroic act, Jude said his father pushed him away in a cooler that came from the boat. His father let go of the cooler, leaving Jude alone and floating.