NEW YORK – A Coast Guard rescue crew from Station Shinnecock on Long Island rescued a diver from the Shinnecock Inlet as he was being swept out to sea by a strong current at 5:20 p.m. today.
The rescue crew found Sujohn Low, 54, just three minutes after being notified by a Good Samaritan who saw him waving his arms in distress. The crew was diverted from a safety boarding nearby to make the rescue.
“We were finishing up a boarding when we got the call,†said Petty Officer 2nd Class James Sigel, who piloted the 25-foot Coast Guard Rescue Boat. “We made our way as fast as we could to the inlet. He was waving his arms trying to flag an inbound fishing vessel.â€
Low, who was spear fishing, suffered no injuries and had all necessary safety gear. He was taken to Oaklands Marina in Shinnecock Inlet by the rescue crew three minutes after being rescued.
“He was moving fast. The inlet currents speed up during the ebb and exit just like a riptide would,†said Sigel. “The current there moves at approximately 3-4 knots, each knot of water is equal to about 30 knots of wind. If he had just swam parallel to the shore he probably would have made his way out of the current. He was lucky we got there when we did.â€
The Coast Guard reminds anyone venturing into the water to always swim, fish, boat and dive with partners and to notify someone of where you will be and when you intend to be back.
