Six People Rescued from Long Island Sound

(Photo Courtesy of the Smithtown Harbormaster) One of the kayakers is rescued by the Smithtown Harbormaster.

Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers and Town of Smithtown Harbormaster rescued three kayakers, as well as two swimmers and a jet skier, in two separate incidents on the Long Island Sound. 

On August 10, three adult male kayakers from Central Islip in a single and a double kayak were out on the water,  approximately a mile north from Nissequogue, when the double kayak began to take on water and partially submerged. One of the kayakers in the double kayak, Jorge Alexander, 39, fell into the water and got separated from Anibal Canetas, 45, who remained in the boat. Miguel Dominguez, 58, the kayaker in the single kayak, called 911 at 6:10 p.m. and was able to stay with Alexander as he held onto the boat.  

Marine Bravo and Marine Delta, along with the Smithtown Harbormaster, located the kayakers at approximately 6:40 p.m. Marine Bureau Officers John Dreyer and David Froehlich on Marine Bravo rescued Canetas. Marine Bureau Officers John Falcone and Kevin Yoli rescued Alexander. The Smithtown Harbormaster escorted Dominguez back to shore at Kings Park Bluff, where all three were evaluated by first responders and declined further medical treatment.  

While the Marine Bureau officers were at Kings Park Bluff, they heard swimmers Ademir Capunay, 40,  of White Plains, and Felix Covnelio Cortes, 21, of Queens, who were caught in a riptide, calling for help from the west side of the Nissequogue River. A nearby adult male jet skier, who had come to their aid, had also been pulled into the water, and all three were holding onto the jet ski to stay afloat.  

Marine Bravo and Marine Delta reached their location, and the officers deployed a life ring to the two swimmers and pulled one swimmer onto each boat. They assisted the jet skier, who had a life vest on,  back onto his jet ski, and all three were returned to shore, where they declined medical treatment.