Nassau County police rescued a watercraft operator who was stranded off the waters of Merrick.
Two men were operating personal watercraft in the waters south of Merrick. Both watercraft were run aground. One of the operators, a 35-year-old male, was able to leave his machine and walk through the marsh to safety. The second operator, a 15-year-old boy, was unable to navigate the marsh and remained on his personal watercraft. As the tide receded, the conditions became worse.
Marine 1 and Marine 3 responded to assist the stranded operator on June 13 at 2:04 p.m. Nassau County Police Helicopter 6 responded to direct Marine Bureau officers, who had donned immersion suits to trek through the marsh. With the helicopter’s guidance, officers located the male and assisted him to Marine 1. Both personal watercraft will be recovered when the tide rises.
The 15-year-old was transported back to Wantagh Park Marina and taken to an area hospital for evaluation.