Officers Rescue 3 Men Who Drifted from Shore in Inflatable Raft

OLD FIELD, NY – Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers rescued three men who became stranded in a 6-foot inflatable raft in the Long Island Sound Sunday afternoon.

Police were notified by the United States Coast Guard at about 4:30 p.m. of an inflatable raft with three male occupants who were unable to make it back to shore. The three were fishing in the Long Island Sound, near Crane Neck Road, when they were pulled about two miles offshore.

Their boat did not have a motor and they were unable to paddle back due to winds blowing between 15 and 20 mph.

Marine Bureau officers Robert Daniels and Peter Bogachunas responded in Marine Delta and located the men within 15 minutes of the initial call. All three occupants, Martin Villatoro, 23, Erick Villatoro, 26, and Ronald Benitez, 17, all of Bay Shore, were transported in Marine Delta, along with their raft, to Sunken Meadow State Park.

All three were wearing life vests and they were not injured.