(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers rescued a man after his sailboat overturned in the Great South Bay on Tuesday, August 4.
Mel Segal was sailing his 8-foot sailboat, ¼ mile South of Heckscher State Park, when his boat overturned and he fell in the water at 1:25 p.m. Segal was approximately 200 feet from the boat and due to the wind and current, could not get any closer.
Suffolk County Police rescued a man after his sailboat overturned in the Great South Bay on Tuesday, August 4. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.
A family member on shore called 911. Officers from Marine Mike and Marine Juliet responded, located the victim and pulled him onto the Marine Mike boat. Segal was transported to a waiting ambulance on shore and refused medical attention.
Segal, 66, of Brooklyn, told police he was in the water for approximately 30 minutes and was completely exhausted. Although he had a life jacket with him, he was not wearing it properly and it provided him with little assistance.
