Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound Open House on Saturday

NEW YORK-Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound will host its Annual Open House in New Haven, Conn., Saturday Sept. 13, 2008 10 a.m. through 2 p.m.

The public is invited to explore a variety of Coast Guard search and rescue boats and witness a mock aerial rescue by a rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod.

“It should be a great time for the whole family,” said Capt. Daniel Ronan, Captain of the Port. “It’s also a great opportunity to see how we and our partners work to protect our country and the environment.”

Also at the open house:

* Local police and fire department marine units will be available for display.
* Coast Guard Auxiliary and New Haven Power Squadrons will be available to discuss boating safety.
* Environmental awareness groups, such as the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, will be there to discuss environmental issues that affect Long Island Sound.
* Hot dogs, burgers, chips, soda and a variety of baked goods will be for sale.

Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound is located at 120 Woodward Ave in New Haven, exit 50 from I-95.

Three People Injured in Bridgeport Connecticut Harbor Crash

NEW YORK - Three people were injured after their boat crashed into a jetty in Bridgeport, Conn., at around 12 a.m., today.

A 26-foot pleasure boat reportedly sped into the east jetty of Bridgeport Harbor with four friends on board shortly after they departed from Bridgeport at around 12 a.m.

Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound received a distress call over marine band radio channel 16 shortly after the collision. A 25-foot rescue boat launched from Coast Guard Station New Haven with two trained EMT’s on board arrived minutes later. Bridgeport Fire Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection were notified and responded.

“When the rescue crew from Station New Haven arrived the vessel was up on the rocks, luckily no one was ejected,” said Lt. j.g. Chris Miller, a duty officer at Sector Long Island Sound. “Three of the four people on board needed immediate medical attention.”

The men in the recreational vessel suffered lacerations, possible broken bones and a possible broken jaw.

The pilot of the recreational boat was uninjured and turned over to Bridgeport Fire Department at the jetty. After a test it was determined he was intoxicated and is now in custody of the Connecticut State Police.

The three injured passengers were transported by the Coast Guard to Dolphin Cove Marina where they were transported by ambulance to Bridgeport Hospital.

The Coast Guard is on scene ensuring safe salvage of the vessel takes place and there are no pollution threats.

Bridge Allision Near Fire Island Leaves One Dead, Another Injured

NEW YORK- One person is dead and another injured in an allision with the Robert Moses Bridge near Fire Island around 4:50 a.m. today.

The name of the deceased is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification.

Another man was taken to a local hospital. His condition is unknown.

Coast Guard Station Fire Island responded with a rescue boat crew who towed the vessel back to the unit. The Suffolk County Police Department and East Islip Fire Department also responded to the scene.

“We want to make the public aware of the potential dangers of traveling under the side spans of bridges outside of the navigational channel,” said Lt. Douglas Miller, Sector Long Island Sound command duty officer. “We further caution everyone that the listed bridge heights are only for the navigational span. Mariners may encounter significantly reduced vertical clearance at other portions of the bridge and should only transit these areas with local knowledge and at safe speeds to avoid tragic accidents.”

The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.

Kayaker Rescued After Multi-Agency Search Near Guilford

NEW YORK-A kayaker was found clinging to a buoy after his vessel capsized near Guilford, Conn. at about 5:15 p.m. today.

A Madison Fire Department marine unit found the man clinging to the number 16 buoy near Faulkner’s Island and waving a white flag to signal for help.

The distressed kayaker called Guildford emergency services from his cell phone reporting that his kayak had overturned near Jacob’s Beach just before 4 p.m.

Rescue units from Coast Guard Station New Haven, Guilford Police and Fire Departments, and Branford and Madison Fire Departments conducted a search between Faulkner’s Island and Jacob’s Beach for the kayaker.

The Madison Fire Department rescue crew transported the man and the kayak back to shore.

“The Coast Guard urges all kayakers to always go with a buddy,” said Lt. j.g. Stephanie Pitts, Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound command duty officer. “Wearing a life jacket, carrying a signaling device and filing a float plan with someone on shore can greatly increase your chances of survival should something go wrong.”

The kayaker was wearing a life jacket.

There were no reported injuries.

Search Suspended for Missing Swimmer At Long Beach, NY

NEW YORK-The search for an 18-year-old male swimmer near Riverside Blvd. in Long Beach, N.Y., was suspended pending further information at 5 p.m. today.

“Making the decision to suspend the search is one of the hardest decisions a sector commander will ever make,” said Capt. Daniel Ronan, commander of Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound. “Despite an aggressive search by both Coast Guard and local agencies that entailed well over 100-hours of combined searching, we were unable to locate the missing swimmer.”

A nearby lifeguard spotted two swimmers in distress who were reportedly caught in a rip tide around 6:20 p.m. Friday evening. The lifeguard pulled one of the swimmers from the water and alerted Nassau County Fire Department for assistance.

Rescue crews from Coast Guard Station Jones Beach, Nassau County Police Department Marine and Long Beach Fire Department Marine searched for the swimmer via water, while helicopters from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City and Nassau County Police conducted aerial searches.

Three People Rescued From the Water inWest Moriches Inlet

NEW YORK (D1 Public Affairs) - Three people were recovered from the water on the west side of Moriches Inlet after their vessel capsized at about 8:05 a.m. today.

Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound received a call from a Good Samaritan at 7:56 a.m. who reported that a large wave had capsized a14-foot pleasure boat on the ocean side of Moriches Inlet and the three people on board were in the water.

A rescue crew from Coast Guard Station East Moriches was on scene within nine minutes. The crew pulled the three people from the water and brought them to East Moriches Marina. The three people declined medical assistance.

The station crew towed the capsized vessel out of the surf zone and transferred the tow to TowBoatUS a commercial salvage company.

The three people in the water were not wearing life jackets.

There were no reported injuries or pollution in the water as a result of the incident.

“The response time in this case was crucial, by both the Good Samaritan and the rescue crew,” said Mark Averill, Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound command duty officer, “however, we can’t stress enough the importance of wearing a life jacket at all times when on the water.”

The weather on scene was reported as three to four-foot waves, and light winds.

Blue Kayak Found on Gilgo Island

NEW YORK-The Coast Guard has found a kayak containing personal items caught in brush on Gilgo Island, N.Y., at around 1 p.m., today.

The Kayak, a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 140, was found during recent search and rescue efforts for another case. The Kayak was found containing two bags of female clothing and camping gear.

If anyone has any information on this please contact the Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound Command Center at 212-468-4401.New York

Two People Missing Off Long Island

NEW YORK-A multi-agency search is underway for two missing Queens natives who left for a Long Island fishing trip at around 10 p.m., Sun. June 29, 2008.

Concerned family members contacted Coast Guard Station Montauk and Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound on Wed. July 2. The Coast Guard began search and rescue operations that day in the vicinity of Montauk, N.Y.,

State Police found the van used on Wednesday, without a canoe in it, at a parking area near Wantagh Bridge 3, Wantagh, N.Y. The van was impounded and search efforts relocated from Montauk.

The Coast Guard currently has a 25-foot search and rescue boat looking for the individuals in the South Oyster Bay area. The New York State Police, State Park Police, Nassau County Marine, Hempstead Fire Department, State Environmental Conservation Police and first responders from Hempstead are working together with the Coast Guard to locate the two men.

The Nassau County Police Department has deployed a helicopter and the Coast Guard is using a Falcon, a search and rescue jet, to help in the search efforts.