Crime & Safety

Five Towns Firefighters Assist in Weekend Water Rescue

Rescue workers pulled three men out of the water east of the Atlantic Beach Bridge on Sunday after their vessel overturned.

Just after 3 p.m., numerous land, air and sea units from Nassau County and New York City searched the area where the boat overturned, according to Anthony Rivelli, deputy chief of Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department. The vessel was spotted off a baseball field. Upon arrival of LCFD units, the occupants of the boat were assisted to the shore. The men were evaluated by the LCFD EMS personnel, but refused transport to the hospital.  

The vessel was uprighted by a private sea tow contractor and removed from the channel. The Nassau County Police Marine Bureau is investigating the cause of the accident. Both incidents were under the command of LCFD Chief John McHugh.

“Local firefighters train routinely for water rescues and have a pre-planned mutual aid agreement with NYC for such incidents,” Rivelli said.

The LCFD and Atlantic Beach Rescue have rescue crafts docked in Reynolds Channel, Rivelli said. The Inwood Fire Department keeps a fireboat at Inwood Marina for rapid deployment in Jamaica Bay. Boaters are reminded to report incidents to the USCG on VHF Channel 16.

On Friday afternoon at 2:45 p.m., Lawrence-Cedarhurst firefighters were alerted to a missing diver at the Atlantic Beach Bridge. Nassau and NYC land units began an intense shoreline search immediately. At the same time, LCFD firefighters launched two vessels to begin a grid search.  

The diver emerged in the middle of the channel and was disorientated by the strong currents.  He was escorted to shore by the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary unit and evaluated by EMS personnel. In addition to the FDNY, Inwood Fire Department members and Town of Hempstead Bay Constables were on scene.


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