3 Men Saved In Harrowing Rescue After Boat Sinks Off Orient: Cops

ORIENT, NY — Three men were saved in a heroic rescue after their boat sank near the Plum Gut lighthouse, off the coast of Orient, Saturday, police said.

According to Southold Town Police, the harrowing ordeal began at 6:39 p.m. Saturday when Steven DiStefano, 36, of Shirley, called and said that he, Michael Cigna, 36, of Shirley, and Patrick Brinker, 50, of Shirley, were on a boat that was sinking in the "Greenport Canal."

Southold and Shelter Island Police, as well the North Ferry crew, searched along the waterway between Greenport and Shelter Island, but, after finding no evidence of a sinking boat between Greenport and Shelter Island, and further questioning by Southold police dispatchers, it was determined the the three men were in fact, in the Long Island Sound in the vicinity of Plum Gut, off the tip Orient Point, police said.

By the time police arrived, Cigna, the owner of the 1963, 34-foot Chris Craft wooden boat, had drifted about a quarter mile north west of the sunken vessel on a cushion, police said.

DiStefano was able to remain on the protruding bow of the sunken vessel, police said — but Brinker had floated away from the sunken vessel and was not able to be seen at first in the choppy water, police said.

At the request of Southold Police, Suffolk County Aviation and the J.J. Callis, a ferry for Plum Island, were requested to assist with the desperate search and rescue effort, police said.

The Callis was the closest vessel to the scene, police said.

At the same time, the Orient Fire Department responded with their inflatable rescue boat, launched the boat, and were able to rescue Cigna.

The J.J. Callis, captained by John Crowe, 64, of Wading River, arrived at the sunken vessel and crewmen Josh Hubbard, 35, of Southold, and Nicholas Galiano, 36, of Ridge, rescued DiSteffano, after which they began to search for Brinker, police said.

After a short search, Capt. Crowe spotted Brinker and maneuvered the J.J. Callis to allow Hubbard and Galiano to bring him aboard, police said.

All three men were transported to Eastern Long Island Hospital for treatment of hypothermia but appeared otherwise uninjured, police said.

One Orient fireman was transported to ELIH for treatment of a knee injury sustained during Cigna's rescue, police said.

While transporting the boat from Port Jefferson, the men were on the west side of the Plum Gut lighthouse when the vessel struck the rocks, causing the boat to sink; the United States Coast Guard was notified of the sunken vessel, police said.

Patch file photo.