Brothers Saved From LI Sound After 'Rogue Wave' Knocks Them Overboard

SHOREHAM, NY — Two brothers were rescued Monday night after they were knocked off a boat by a "rogue wave" on the Long Island Sound, authorities said.

According to Suffolk County Police, the incident happened at 7:30 p.m. off Shoreham Beach in Shoreham.

Marine Bureau Officers Cory Kim and Robert Reed, aboard Marine Delta, responded to a report of two fishermen on a 6-foot inflatable raft that had not returned by 7:30 p.m., police said.

The officers, with the help of a Suffolk County Police Aviation helicopter, located the fishermen, Gustavo Quinones, 30, and Gusmil Quinones, 35 — both from Brooklyn — after searching for more than 30 minutes, police said. The pair had launched their boat off of Shoreham Beach and were struck by a "rogue wave," knocking them overboard, police said.

The brothers, who were both wearing life jackets, were in the water for more than an hour, clinging to an inflatable seat cushion from the raft when they saw the Marine Delta and shouted for help, police said.

Officers Kim and Reed heard the men but did not see them in the dark, police said.

Suffolk County aviation section officers responded and used a spotlight to help locate the men a short distance from Marine Delta, police said.

The men were pulled to safety and transported back to shore; neither was hurt, police said.