Marine Cops Rescue Family Stranded Off Fire Island

A Copiague family, including a 2-year-old boy, was rescued after their boat ran aground near the mouth of the Fire Island Inlet, according to Suffolk County Police.

A 30-year-old man and his 30-year-old wife were aboard a 25-foot Parker boat with their son and the child’s 62-year-old grandfather when the vessel ran aground during low tide.

The mother called 911 late at night to report the family stranded near the inlet in the Town of Babylon.

Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau Officers Keith Miller and Robert King responded aboard Marine Juliet but could not get the vessel closer than approximately a half-mile from the stranded boat because of conditions in the shallow water.

Officers Rob Jenkins and James Matriciano then transported Marine Hovercraft Tango to Oak Beach and deployed the specialized craft. The hovercraft reached the boat, and officers began removing the family.

The hovercraft is designed specifically for emergencies in places conventional patrol boats cannot reach.

The 2-year-old boy was taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip for treatment of minor injuries, police said. The other three family members were not injured.

Police did not identify the family members or report damage to their boat.

The Marine Bureau patrols approximately 500 square miles of navigable waterways within the Suffolk County Police District, extending from Long Island Sound south to waters three miles beyond Fire Island. Its responsibilities include search-and-rescue missions involving disabled or overdue boats and missing people. Officers transported the four family members to the New York State Boat Basin.