After a wave capsized their boat on Sunday August 1, a Huntington Station family of eight was rescued from the water in Huntington Bay by the bay constables.
Huntington Town Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci praised the Harbormaster’s team on duty that day.
“Great work by the Huntington Harbormaster’s Bay Constables on duty this Sunday,” he said. “We are very lucky to have the team of professionals patrolling Huntington’s waterways that we do – this boating emergency could have turned out very differently with overcrowding and a strong wave.”
Senior Bay Constable Ryan Sammis and Bay Constable Roy Mathison on the Marine 1 response boat and Bay Constables Tim Lutz and Don Dizomba on Marine 3, responded to a call from a good Samaritan that came in at approximately 4pm.
The 16-foot boat had 4 children (ages 1 to 10) and 4 adults on board. A 4-year-old child was initially caught under the vessel for approximately one minute; the father rescued the child. All eight family members were rescued and accounted for by the Harbormaster’s team.
Senior Harbormaster Fred Uvena reported that the family of eight were wearing life jackets, which he said “saved their lives” while they were waiting for rescue.
After towing the boat to the Town ramp at Mill Dam Marina, the Harbormaster’s office issued a summons to the owner of the boat for overcrowding; the capacity plate on the 16-foot boat allowed for six passengers, including the captain and all children and infants.