Coast Guard Rescues Duck Hunter Stranded In Navesink River

RUMSON, NJ — Members of the U.S. Coast Guard had to rescue a duck hunter who became stranded on an island Monday in the middle of the icy Navesink River off Rumson. Those Coast Guard officers who responded are also all currently working without pay, as the federal government shutdown continues.

"They are all active duty members and they're all working without pay," Petty Officer Hunter Medley told Patch. "They're considered essential personnel, so they're still standing duty and responding to search-and-rescue calls. The Coast Guard is still doing day-to-day operations."

The Rumson police department asked the U.S. Coast Guard Sandy Hook station for help at approximately 9:40 a.m. Monday: A 21 year-old-man was stuck on an island west of Barley Island in the Navesink River after his small boat broke down.

"It was a group of four men, and they were in a really small boat that wasn't meant to fit more than two people," said Medley. "It had a 2-horsepower engine, and they were making trips back and forth to shore when the engine died."

You can see these photos from the scene, taken by the Coast Guard. The first photo shows the duck hunters from a distance, where they are trapped in the shallow river water in the marshes:

The Coast Guard launched their 29-foot small response boat, and arrived at the scene at 10:15 a.m. Two boatcrew members waded through the shallow water and safely brought the man aboard the Coast Guard boat.

The man had no medical concerns and was taken to awaiting EMS on Barley Island.

“Cold water and below freezing temperatures can complicate rescues like this and turn a bad situation to worse very fast,” said Commander Rich Sansone, search and rescue coordinator for Coast Guard Sector New York. “Coast Guard crews are ready and standing the watch to assist and prevent cases like this from becoming worse.”

It was 7 degrees out in that area Monday, with 30-mile-per hour winds and a water temperature of 34 degrees.

Pictured: Top photo from the scene Monday, Jan. 21, 2019 provided by the U.S. Coast Guard.