Woman Survived 12 Hours Overnight Floating In Ocean Off Sandy Hook After Jet Ski Mishap

LOWER NEW YORK BAY — A woman was found alive in the Atlantic Ocean off Sandy Hook Monday morning, after she had been floating in Lower New York Bay for nearly 12 hours overnight.

The woman, 47, was on a Jet Ski that went missing late Sunday night, said the U.S. Coast Guard. She had been riding with a man, 46, and he was found, also alive, on a beach in Staten Island Monday morning.

Both the man and woman were wearing life jackets, which saved their lives, a Coast Guard commander said in this press release on the dramatic rescue.

"These two people are incredibly fortunate to be alive," said Rodger Krass, the Coast Guard search and rescue mission coordinator for this case. "Wearing life jackets and having a float plan directly saved their lives. This successful rescue is a testament to the strong partnerships between the Coast Guard, FDNY, NYPD and our fellow mariners who responded to the call. The quick coordination and dedication of all involved were crucial in locating and rescuing these people after a long night in the water.”

The man's friend first called 911 at 1 a.m. Monday: He said a man he was Jet Skiing with Sunday evening never called to let him know he made it back to the marina. The missing man was with a woman. The couple may be from Elizabeth, said authorities.

The man's friend said he last heard from the couple at 8 p.m. Sunday, via cell phone, when the couple reported they were still aboard the Jet Ski and were near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

At 1 a.m., his friend's phone was now going straight to voicemail.

The Coast Guard issued an urgent marine rescue broadcast, and boats from their Sandy Hook station, plus New York City rescue helicopters and boats, combed the waters of New York Harbor and Lower New York Bay.

At around 5:40 a.m., a boater notified the Coast Guard via VHF-FM channel 16 they had located the missing Jet Ski in the Chapel Hill South channel, which is right off Sandy Hook. Nobody was aboard.

Then, at 7:30 a.m., a New York City Fire Department rescue boat found the woman floating in the water near Romer Shoal. Romer Shoal is an isolated lighthouse on a small rock outcropping about two and a half miles off Sandy Hook. She was found in about 10 feet of water, floating.

She was conscious, alert and able to talk when she was found. She told rescuers she had been floating in the water since 8 p.m. Sunday, said a Coast Guard spokesman.

The man was found 20 minutes later, on Great Kills Beach in Staten Island. Both were alive and were taken to Staten Island University Hospital, where they are recovering.

At some point Sunday evening, the Jet Ski had become disabled and the couple removed the seat to try and repair the engine, which had stopped working, said the Coast Guard. A wave knocked the seat off the Jet Ski and the man jumped into the water to retrieve it, and could not make it back, said the Coast Guard.

With the seat removed, water started entering the Jet Ski and caused the personal watercraft to be partially submerged, causing the woman to enter the water and also become separated from the Jet Ski.

The Coast Guard stressed that cell phones should not be relied upon as a primary means of distress communication when on the water. This is due the signal limitations and battery life of a cell phone. VHF radios and emergency position-indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) should be used instead.

Also, it is illegal in both New York and New Jersey to operate a Jet Ski at night.