Team of Heroes Rescues 9, Including 5 Kids, Stranded Atop Overturned Boat

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Heroes came to the rescue of nine people, including five children, stranded atop their 23-foot Boston Whaler in Shinnecock Inlet Sunday, police said.

According to Southampton Town Police, bay constables responded at 3 p.m. to a report of an overturned vessel in Shinnecock Inlet with multiple people onboard.

Senior Bay Constable Al Tuzzolo responded to the scene onboard a 25-foot patrol vessel, police said. Once on scene Tuzzolo found an overturned 23-foot Boston Whaler with four adults and five children on top of the floating hull, police said.

The Schoerlin family, of Hampton Bays, and the Simmon family, of Brooklyn, were found onboard the vessel at the time of the accident, police said. No injuries were reported and all children were wearing proper flotation devices as required, police said.

Also on scene was a vessel from United States Coast Guard Station Shinnecock, a commercial salvage vessel from Boat US captained by Jim Capola, and the fishing vessel Lady J, skippered by Captain Ken Jayne, police said.

With the assistance of the vessels, Tuzzolo was able to bring all nine passengers on board his patrol vessel., police said.

Once the passengers were safely onboard they were transported to the Oaklands dock in Hampton Bays, where they were met by members of the Hampton Bays Volunteer Ambulance Corps, police said.

Tuzzolo and another bay constable responded back to the scene of the overturned vessel and provided a security zone so that Sea Tow Shinnecock/Moriches could safely recover the vessel, police said.

Once recovered, the boat was towed to Ponquogue Marina in Hampton Bays, police said.

Sea conditions at the time of the accident were moderate with an outgoing tide and a southerly wind, police said.