BARNEGAT – The Coast Guard rescued an 80-year-old man from a boat that ran aground by the Barnegat Inlet on Monday, officials said.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received a report from the victim’s son stating that his father did not return home. The son also told the watchstanders that his father left without any communication devices and only had a life jacket and whistle onboard his 16-foot boat.
Coast Guard members from Station Barnegat Light and Air Station Atlantic City along with a New Jersey State police aviation unit responded to the report and the New Jersey State Police were able to locate the man.
The Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew was able to hoist him to safety and brought him to Island Beach State Park where EMS was standing by.
“This case really emphasized the importance of letting someone know your whereabouts before you get underway,” Cmdr. Brett Workman, Sector Delaware Bay Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator said. “The family knew where he was departing from, where he planned to go, and when he was expected to return. Since his family knew his float plan, we knew where to look, and were ultimately able to locate and rescue him. In addition to letting someone know your float plan, it is always recommended that mariners have reliable means of communication when they are on the water.”
