2-year-old boy and family stranded in Fire Island Inlet rescued by police Saturday night
SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. - A late-night boat outing turned into a frightening ordeal for one family this weekend when their vessel ran aground in the mouth of the Fire Island Inlet.
What we know:
The family was traveling aboard a 25-foot Parker boat when they became trapped by a receding low tide. Stranded in the dark, shallow waters of the inlet, the mother used her cell phone to dial 911 at 11:22 p.m., prompting an immediate emergency response.
The passengers aboard the stranded vessel included a 30-year-old man, his 30-year-old wife, their 2-year-old son and the child’s 62-year-old grandfather.
The rescue
Dig deeper:
Dangerously low water levels prevented initial rescue efforts from getting closer than a half-mile to the stranded boat.
Officers decided to deploy a hovercraft, which allowed the rescue team to safely glide over the shallow terrain that blocked traditional boats. Rescuers successfully reached the family and began their safe removal at 1:52 a.m.
Following the rescue, the officers transported the family to the New York State Boat Basin. The two-year-old boy was taken to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries. The other three family members were uninjured.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by the Suffolk County Police Department.