"Our training definitely played a part into it, as well as luck," Lt. David Torres of FDNY Marine 8 said of the rescue.
Coast Guard officials say the pair -- a woman and a man -- were riding on a jet ski when they were reported missing in New York's Lower Bay around dusk on Sunday.
The ordeal began when the engine of their jet ski lost power and overturned. The duo worked to repair it, but in the gathering darkness, they drifted apart.
"We're very grateful for them to be alive. They can attribute their success in this case to having their life jackets and filing a float plan with a friend," said Greg Hersh, who is part of the Coast Guard Incident Management Division.
The Coast Guard says the jet skiers did everything right, except for having a proper radio, which would have helped narrow down the search and sped up rescue efforts.
When the two failed to follow their float plan itinerary, their friend alerted the authorities to begin a search operation. The friend told the Coast Guard the two were headed to the Verrazano Bridge.
"Something like this, where they're in the water for a long time, you hope that you can find them and you hope it's a good outcome -- but starting off they could be anywhere," said FDNY Marine 8's Thomas Murphy.
Around 5:40 a.m. Monday, someone saw the jet ski -- alone -- near Chapel Hill South Channel.
Around 7:30 a.m. on Monday, firefighters from Marine Company 8 in Great Kills Harbor finally spotted a head bobbing in the water near Romer Shoal Lighthouse. As they neared her, they could see the woman was conscious and alert.
She had spent a long night floating alone in the pitch dark, bobbing off the coast of Sandy Hook, New Jersey.
"One of the first things she did tell me was that she was in the water since 8:30 p.m. the night before," said Steven Guida, a rescuer with FDNY Marine 8. "I was mind blown. I couldn't even imagine."
The man was found twenty minutes later on Great Kills Beach in Staten Island, completely exhausted as he sat in the water.
The two were transported to Staten Island University Hospital to receive medical treatment for hypothermia.
"The two individuals were very fortunate," Hersh said.
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