Sunken Boat Off Long Beach Closes Several Beaches

LONG BEACH, NY — A boat that ran into trouble near a jetty in the Atlantic Ocean this week has yet to be removed from the water.

The saga for the wayward boat began Tuesday afternoon when city of Long Beach first responders located the boat in the ocean near Long Beach Boulevard.

The one person on the boat was evacuated and brought to safety by the Bay Constables, the city of Long Beach posted on its website.

The United States Coast Guard attempted to de-anchor the vessel but were unable since it was in the surf zone.

Several hours later, the 36-foot sailboat started taking on water and eventually was submerged, officials said.

With an oil sheen and odor of diesel fuel since Tuesday evening and debris washing ashore overnight, beaches at Monroe, Long Beach and Riverside boulevards were closed, the city of Long Beach said.

The vessel did not take the time to mark the vessel or get it towed, the city added on its website. Long Beach officials are working with the US Coast Guard, Nassau County police and the sheriff's department to safely remove to the boat that "poses a substantial risk to swimmers and surfers," the city wrote on its webpage.

The beaches will stay closed for now, they wrote.