Multiple people rescued from the Long Island Sound off Kings Park in 2 separate incidents
News 12 Meteorologist Matt Hammer says conditions on the sound are expected to be calmer today with waves, at worst, up to one foot and winds between five and 10 miles per hour.
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Several people are recovering after a pair of water rescues off the North Shore in the Town of Smithtown on Sunday evening.
Around 6:10 p.m., three men from Central Islip in two kayaks were out on the Long Island Sound about a mile north of the Nissequogue River when one of the boats began to take on water and partially submerged.
One of the men, Jorge Alexander, 39, fell into the water and got separated from his partner in the double kayak, Anibal Canetas, 45, who was able to stay in the boat. Miguel Dominguez, 58, who was in a separate single kayak, called for help as Alexander held onto the boat.
Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau and Town of Smithtown Harbormaster officers found the three men in distress about 30 minutes after the 911 call.
All three were rescued and pulled to the shore at Kings Park Bluff.
"I've seen the current pretty strong, especially when some is coming in and some is going out," Kings Park resident Lori Capolino said. "You could get caught up in it."
As officers were rendering first aid, they heard swimmers, caught up in a riptide, calling for help from the west side of the Nissequogue River. Police said a nearby man on a jet ski, who had come to the swimmers' aid, had also been pulled into the water, but that jet skier provided News 12 with video that offered a different perspective.
Video shows the man in the water helping the two distressed swimmers hold onto his jet ski until more help could arrive, then he got back on the jet ski and sped away once the two men were safe.
Officers said they used a life ring to pull Ademir Capunay, 40, of White Plains and Felix Covnelio Cortes, 21, of Queens, onto their boats.
"Hey, good job dude," one of the officers is heard saying in the video.
"There's a certain time in the tide when it's really bad," Kings Point resident Al Dwyer said. "I won't even put my boat in, it's so bad."
Everyone who was pulled from the water ended up being okay and declined further medical treatment, Suffolk County Police said.
Those currents over there are even for a trained canoeist or kayaker would be very difficult to navigate," Commack resident Alan Lichtenstein said.
This has been a troubled area this summer. In May, a missing swimmer was found dead near Kings Park Bluff and in June, two people were rescued after their kayak flipped and sank.
