Father and Son Pulled From Submerged Boat Near Moriches Inlet

A coordinated response by local volunteer firefighters and marine rescue personnel saved a father and son Saturday morning after their 19-foot center console boat sank near Moriches Inlet, leaving them stranded without life jackets.

Suffolk County 911 received a distress call at 11:45 a.m. November 7 reporting a sinking vessel with two people aboard. The Mastic Beach Fire Department and Marine Incident Response Team (MIRT) were immediately dispatched, along with Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau and Aviation units.

Using GPS coordinates obtained from the 911 call, firefighters aboard Center Moriches Fire Department Marine 26 located the distressed vessel within eight minutes.

Arriving at the scene, rescuers discovered the father and son standing atop their submerged boat in approximately five feet of water.

The Marine 26 crew carefully maneuvered alongside the vessel and brought both individuals aboard, where emergency medical technicians immediately began evaluating and treating them for cold-water exposure and possible hypothermia.

The pair were transported to the Center Yacht Club and transferred to awaiting emergency medical personnel. Their conditions were not immediately reported.

Meanwhile, additional fire department marine units recovered floating debris from the incident area.

The rescue demonstrated the coordinated efforts of the six fire departments comprising MIRT, which has provided emergency marine response throughout local waterways since its formation in August 2021, according to Bill Biondi, a commissioner with the Mastic Beach Fire Department, which is a member of the marine response team.

He emphasized that boating emergencies can occur year-round, even after the summer season ends.

“Boaters must wear properly fitted life jackets, check weather and water conditions, and file a float plan identifying their intended route and expected return time,” Biondi said.

Anyone experiencing an emergency on the water should call 911 or contact the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16.

MIRT’s volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel remain available throughout the year to respond to emergencies across the region’s waterways.