Man Rescued by Good Samaritan After Boat Capsizes in Great South Bay

A West Islip man needed to be rescued from the chilly waters of the Great South Bay on Saturday evening after his boat capsized, police said.

According to police, Douglas Hassell, 51, was operating his 1987 20-foot Sportcraft outboard boat west of the Robert Moses Causeway in Babylon when he noticed the vessel was rapidly taking on water around 5 p.m.

Hassell steered his vessel toward shallow waters and called the 800-number for TowBoat US, a commercial salvage company, which dispatched a tow boat and notified the United States Coast Guard, police said.

The Coast Guard then issued a request for assistance over Marine VHF radio Channel 16, which was picked up by Suffolk Police Marine Bureau officers in Marine Kilo, who responded to the location. Suffolk police also dispatched a second rescue boat and a helicopter from the Aviation Section.

Hassel put on a life jacket before the boat capsized and climbed atop the overturned hull to await rescue.

A captain from Reynolds TowBoat US was the first to arrive on scene and took Hassell aboard the tow boat, followed shortly after by Suffolk police officers aboard Marine Kilo and a US Coast Guard vessel from Station Fire Island.

Hassell was uninjured and refused medical attention. He was taken aboard the police vessel for transport to Babylon Cove. The vessel was taken into tow by Reynolds TowBoat US.

The Suffolk Police Marine Bureau reminds boaters that the waters surrounding Suffolk County are currently quite cold, about 50 degrees in the Great South Bay and 43 degrees in the Long Island Sound and Atlantic Ocean. Under New York State law, anyone in a boat less than 21-feet in length anytime between Nov. 1 and May 1 must wear a securely fastened life jacket. This includes canoes, kayaks, rowboats and motorboats.

The best way to call for help on the water is to call 911, or call the US Coast Guard on Marine VHF radio Channel 16.

Photo: Google Maps

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