Clammer Floated In Cold NJ Waters For Hours Before Rescue, Coast Guard Says

WARETOWN, NJ — A 72-year-old man was rescued early Thursday after clinging to a dayboard in frigid waters near Barnegat Bay for hours, the Coast Guard said.

John Mazzy's daughter called the Coast Guard at about 10 p.m. Wednesday to report that her father was late returning from a clamming trip near Baker's Basin and Oyster Creek Channel, according to a news release.

Watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Atlantic City helicopter crew and a Station Barnegat Light boat, plus alerted local marine rescue crews, officials said.

It wasn't until 2:08 a.m. Thursday that a 17-foot white Carolina skiff matching Mazzy's vessel description was found, the Coast Guard said. However, when crews approached, they found no one was on the boat.

Shortly after, the helicopter crew found Mazzy clinging to a nearby dayboard, the Coast Guard said.

Mazzy, who was showing hypothermia-like symptoms, was taken on the commercial salvage crew's boat and then lifted by the helicopter to Key Harbor Marina, where emergency crews were waiting, for further medical care, the Coast Guard said.

Sea Tow Central Jersey, based at Key Harbor Marina, said that Mazzy had been in the 47-degree water for "several hours." Air temperature was 35 degrees, officials said.

“Mr. Mazzy filed a float plan with his daughter which greatly assisted rescue crews locating him quickly,” said Rick Anderson, an operations unit controller with Sector Delaware Bay. “Mr. Mazzy’s float plan was a verbal plan where he told his daughter where he was leaving from, how long he was going to be out and the locations he was planning to do conduct his fishing. Float plans can significantly increase mariners’ chances of being found swiftly by rescue crews because the crews have areas to initiate their search efforts.”