Long Island man rescued from Atlantic Ocean after treading water for 5 hours: Suffolk PD

In a dramatic Monday morning rescue, a Long Island man was saved after spending more than five hours treading water in the Atlantic Ocean, Suffolk County police said.

Dan Ho, 63, of Copiague, went swimming around 5 a.m. at Cedar Beach in Babylon when he was suddenly caught in a strong current that pulled him out into open water, police said.

With no flotation device at hand, Ho fought to stay afloat in the open sea for several hours until he stumbled upon a broken fishing pole amidst the waves. He then tied his shirt to the makeshift pole and waved it in the air, hoping to catch the attention of any passing vessels that could rescue him, officials said.

Ho’s distress signals were spotted about two miles south of the beach by Jim Hohorst, a West Islip resident, and Michael Ross, from Syosset. The two Good Samaritans were aboard a small fishing boat when they pulled him out of the water. They found him conscious and alert but unable to stand due to exhaustion, Suffolk authorities said.

Hohorst contacted authorities over VHF radio to report the rescue. The Suffolk County Police Department’s Marine Juliet vessel, operated by Officer Robert Jenkins and Officer Bernadette Benjamin, rushed to the scene to provide further assistance, police said.

Officers transferred Ho from the civilian boat to Marine Juliet, where they rendered immediate aid for hypothermia. Police said Ho remained conscious during the entire rescue operation.

Following the successful rescue at sea, the team brought Ho ashore to the United States Coast Guard Station-Fire Island. A Coast Guard medic attended to him before the West Islip Fire Department ambulance took him to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip for further medical attention, Suffolk County police said.