Suffolk County police Marine Bureau officers pulled three men out of the Great South Bay Friday night after their 17-foot boat ran out of fuel, police said.
Two officers aboard the Marine Juliet patrol vessel responded after receiving a distress call at 6:48 p.m. from a passerby who reported people in the water.
When the officers arrived, they found the 18-year-old owner of the boat and two other men attempting to pull the boat to shore with a rope. The boat was approximately a half-mile south of Hecksher State Park at the time, police said. The men, who had been in the water for 45 minutes, were wearing flotation devices, police said.
The trio was pulled out of the water and their boat towed to the Hecksher State Park boat ramp, police said.
The officers cited the boat’s owner for failing to carry visual distress signals and for a discharged fire extinguisher, police said. They also issued warnings for missing safety equipment, police said.
Following the rescue, Suffolk police offered the following tips to boaters:
Check all required safety equipment is on board and operable.
Leave a float plan with someone on shore with your destination and expected time of return.
Carry a cell phone or Marine VHF Radio in case you need emergency assistance.
