Riverhead police rescue adult, child stranded on disabled jet ski off Jamesport

A jet ski breaking down about a mile northeast of Iron Pier Beach turned a Sunday outing into an offshore rescue when Riverhead police pulled an adult and a 10-year-old child back to safety off Jamesport.

Police received the 911 call at about 4:50 p.m. on April 13 and sent out the department’s Dive/Rescue Team, a marine rescue vessel and its M30T drone to search for the stranded riders. Jamesport Fire Department and Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps members also responded, underscoring how quickly several local agencies can mobilize when someone is stuck in open water.

The Dive/Rescue Team located the pair, brought them aboard the rescue vessel and towed the disabled jet ski back to shore. No injuries were reported.

The outcome was far better than it could have been a mile offshore, where distance, wind and visibility can complicate even a short delay. The department’s use of a drone alongside a rescue boat also showed how public-safety crews are leaning on technology to narrow search time and find people faster when they are difficult to spot from land.

The operator of the watercraft was issued several summonses for safety equipment violations, adding a enforcement angle to a rescue that could easily have ended badly. The case was a reminder that on the North Fork, even a routine ride off Iron Pier Beach can become dangerous in minutes if the craft fails and the required gear is not on board.

The adult and child made it back to shore safely, but the response off Jamesport made clear how thin the margin can be once a jet ski goes dead offshore.