Daring double water rescues by officers from SCPD Marine Bureau, Smithtown Harbormaster

Three kayakers, two swimmers and a jet skier were rescued in two separate incidents by Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers and the Town of Smithtown Harbormaster Sunday, Aug. 10 on the Long Island Sound.

The kayakers, all from Central Islip, were in a single and a double kayak were out on the water about a mile north from Nissequogue when the double kayak began to take on water and became partially submerged. One of the kayakers in the double kayak, Jorge Alexander, 39, fell into the water and got separated from Anibal Canetas, 45, who remained in the boat. Miguel Dominguez, 58, the kayaker in the single kayak, called 911 at 6:10 p.m. and was able to stay with Alexander as he held onto the boat.  

Rescue teams Marine Bravo and Marine Delta, along with the Smithtown Harbormaster, located the kayakers at about 6:40 p.m. Marine Bureau Officers John Dreyer and David Froehlich on Marine Bravo rescued Canetas. Marine Bureau Officers John Falcone and Kevin Yoli rescued Alexander. The Smithtown Harbormaster escorted Dominguez back to shore at Kings Park Bluff, where all three were evaluated by first responders and declined further medical treatment.  

While the Marine Bureau officers were at Kings Park Bluff, they heard swimmers Ademir Capunay, 40, of White Plains and Felix Covnelio Cortes, 21, of Queens, who were caught in a riptide, calling for help from the west side of the Nissequogue River. A nearby adult male jet skier, who had come to their aid, had also been pulled into the water, and all three were holding onto the jet ski to stay afloat.  

The two rescue teams reached their location, and the officers deployed a life ring to the two  swimmers and pulled one swimmer onto each boat. They assisted the jet skier, who was wearing a life vest, back onto his jet ski, and all three were returned to shore, where they declined medical treatment.