We’ve all had days out on the water where things have gone well, just really bad. Unfortunately, a couple launching from New York’s Jamaica Bay in the Rockaways around 9:30 at night on Monday, June 23rd had one of those days. Clearly breaking several state and city boating ordinances, the nighttime ride went sour when their Sea-Doo’s engine died and began rapidly taking on water.
Thankfully, the two were stranded in shallow water, near Big Egg Marsh where they spent the entire night waiting for a rescue. According to David Console of the NYPD Harbor Unit, that’s when, “their friend reported them missing at around 12:30 at night and that’s what started all the searching.”
Because their watercraft had no running lights, nor did the couple carry cell phone, flares, or other signally devices, it took emergency crews six hours to find them.
In a report by CBS News, the shallow marsh provided little help. “It’s a small, small island-type marsh with large grass, but it’s sharp over there so they couldn’t walk on it,” explained Andrew Novellano, with the NYPD Harbor Unit. “They’re almost like razor blades so they couldn’t even stand on them.”
Upon rescue, the couple were hypothermic. They were taken immediately to Saint John’s Hospital, where they were treated for hypothermia and released.
