Coast Guard rescues 89-year-old man who fell off boat into waters off Long Island

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
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HUNTINGTON HARBOR, Long Island (WABC) -- An 89-year-old man who fell from his boat into the waters off Long Island was rescued by the Coast Guard Monday night.

At about 6:45 p.m., officials say watchstanders at the Sector Long Island Sound command center were notified of a possible person in the water yelling for help in Huntington Harbor.

At the same time, two Response Boat Small crews who were training in the area heard the call for help and investigated.

They found that the man had fallen from his moored sailboat and was clinging to a line, unable to pull himself back into his boat.

The crewmembers of the RBS were able to pull the man aboard and began to treat him for hypothermia.

He had been in the water without a lifejacket for approximately 20 minutes.

The man was taken to Huntington Town Dock where Emergency Medical Services were waiting and then taken to Huntington Hospital for further medical care.