Coast Guard rescues kayaker near Captree State Park, New York

Coast Guard rescues kayaker near Captree State Park, New York

Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

NEW YORK - The Coast Guard rescued a 58-year old man hanging onto a mooring buoy after his kayak overturned near Captree State Park, New York, early Tuesday morning.

At approximately 5:00 a.m., a good Samaritan who was fishing heard a man yelling for help and immediately called 911.

The Suffolk County dispatchers then notified watchstanders at Sector Long Island Sound. The watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast (UMIB) and had a rescue boatcrew from Station Fire Island head to the area.

West Islip Fire Department located the man from land and they were able to help lead the rescue boatcrew to him.

The 29-foot Response Boat-small arrived on scene at 5:15 a.m., and found the man clinging to a mooring buoy.

The man was suffering from mild hypothermia after spending over an hour in the water when the crew took him aboard the rescue boat and brought him back to Station Fire Island. They arrived at the station at 5:20 a.m., to awaiting Emergency Medical Service personnel.

The Coast Guard and their partner agencies are committed to generating greater safety awareness among paddlers and small boat operators- find out more at www.uscgboating.org.

"Paddlers need to be prepared for the changing water conditions and temperatures," said Capt. Andrew Tucci, commander Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound. "Thankfully this man was wearing his lifejacket. It saved his life."

-USCG-