Two individuals faced a perilous situation as they were rescued offshore near New York City early on Monday morning, having been reported missing from their personal watercraft the prior evening, according to rescue officials.
At approximately 1 a.m. on Monday, a concerned personal watercraft operator notified watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector New York, raising alarms that a companion riding a separate watercraft had failed to check in as planned. The reporting individual indicated that attempts to reach their friend were futile, with the phone going directly to voicemail. The last confirmed location of the missing rider was near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge around 8 p.m. on Sunday.
In response, the Coast Guard swiftly deployed a boat crew and issued an urgent marine information broadcast to alert other mariners in the vicinity. With growing concerns for the missing person's well-being, watchstanders urgently gathered cell phone data and collaborated with the Elizabeth, New Jersey police department to conduct a wellness check at the individual’s residence. Family members confirmed that the missing man had departed earlier that day and had not returned.
The relentless search continued, and around 5:40 a.m., a good Samaritan utilized VHF-FM radio to inform the Coast Guard of an unmanned personal watercraft discovered adrift near Chapel Hill South Channel.
This discovery led to immediate action, with the Coast Guard coordinating an extensive search in that vicinity, deploying assets from Coast Guard Station New York, Sandy Hook, Air Station Atlantic City, as well as units from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Harbor and Aviation forces, along with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Marine units.
At approximately 7:30 a.m., an FDNY boat crew successfully located the missing woman in the water near Romer Shoal. When rescued, she informed responders that she had been in the frigid waters since 8 p.m. on Sunday evening.
As she was brought to shore for emergency medical services care, another FDNY crew located the operator of the missing personal watercraft on Great Kills Beach,
