5 Rescued After Speedboat Overturns; Operator Charged With BWI

A 35-year-old man was charged with boating while intoxicated after police rescued five people from an overturned speedboat in the Great South Bay Sunday night, Suffolk Police said.

According to police, Marine Bureau officers responded to a 911 call at 10:58 p.m. reporting that a 1995 Superboat was taking on water two miles south of Heckscher State Park with five people aboard as it was heading to Bay Shore from Ocean Bay Park. The 24-foot boat overturned. All five were in the water, holding onto the overturned vessel when officers arrived, police said. Only two were wearing life jackets.

Several boats were dispatched to locate the overturned vessel. Marine Kilo was first on the scene, and three people were taken aboard. Islip Marine Patrol arrived on the scene and took the remaining two people aboard. All five were brought back to Timber Point and offered medical assistance, which they declined.

The operator of the boat, Frank M. Ciccolella, of East Meadow, was arrested and charged with BWI. He was held overnight at the Third Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning at First District Court in Central Islip.