cowherder
01-13-2011, 10:44 PM
Boy is he lucky to be alive!
SeaStreak crew rescues man who jumped off ferry
By LARRY HIGGS (lhiggs@app.com) • STAFF WRITER • January 12, 2011
HIGHLANDS — A quick-acting SeaStreak Ferry crew plucked a passenger out of the frigid ocean waters Tuesday after he jumped overboard in a daring rescue that passengers and Coast Guard officials said saved the man's life.
""They picked him up within minutes,'' said Petty Officer First Class David Schuhlein, U.S. Coast Guard spokesman.
The incident happened at 12:45 p.m., aboard the ferry SeaStreak Wall Street, which left Connors Highlands at 12:20 p.m., and was headed for Pier 11 in New York. Crew members and passengers saw the man climb over a railing and jump. The ferry was about 7 miles from Sandy Hook when it happened, SeaStreak officials said.
Senior Deckhand Dan Bevins of Atlantic Highlands said he got suspicious when he saw the man walk from the second deck to the starboard (right) loading area, take off his jacket, fold it neatly and lay it on the engine room hatch.
""It clicked in my head; I knew what he was going to do,'' said Bevins, who was inside the cabin. ""He had his leg on the rail. Another crew member ran to the door, he did look at us‚.‚.‚.‚I yelled.''
But over the roar of the ferry's engine, moving it at 35 knots … or about 40 mph, Bevins said he knew the man never heard him.
""As soon as he went in (the water), I grabbed a life ring, threw the ring and called "man overboard,' our code blue, and alerted the captain to turn around,'' Bevins said.
State Police identified the man as Joseph Ryan, 71, of Middletown.
Captain Dan Park turned the boat and headed back toward Ryan. ""He was floating on his back, as we came up to him, he started moving and raised his right hand,'' Bevins said. ""I handed him a boat hook and he grabbed on firmly with one hand.''
Bevins and deckhands Travis Brown, Joel Magsino and Engineer Mike Doren got him on the deck and brought him inside the cabin, covered him in blankets and passengers gave him their jackets.
""We laid him on his side to get some of the water out and took him to the Coast Guard station (at Sandy Hook),'' Bevins said.
A crew member was talking to Ryan, who made eye contact with him, said Jack Bevins, director of Marine Operations for SeaStreak and Dan's brother. ""He couldn't speak, but he gave us the thumbs up at one point,'' Jack Bevins said.
The ferry proceeded at full speed to the U.S. Coast Guard station at Sandy Hook, where he was treated by local emergency medical services.
""If it wasn't for that crew member, that man would have died. He was very lucky,'' said Geraldine Pritchard, a passenger on the ferry. ""An impressive and amazing rescue, passengers and crew were indeed instrumental in saving that poor man's life.''
Water temperature in that part of the ocean was 43 degrees, said Schuhlein. Ryan was conscious and stable when he reached the shore, Schuhlein said. State Police said he was taken to Monmouth Medical Center. His condition was unavailable.
SeaStreak crew rescues man who jumped off ferry
By LARRY HIGGS (lhiggs@app.com) • STAFF WRITER • January 12, 2011
HIGHLANDS — A quick-acting SeaStreak Ferry crew plucked a passenger out of the frigid ocean waters Tuesday after he jumped overboard in a daring rescue that passengers and Coast Guard officials said saved the man's life.
""They picked him up within minutes,'' said Petty Officer First Class David Schuhlein, U.S. Coast Guard spokesman.
The incident happened at 12:45 p.m., aboard the ferry SeaStreak Wall Street, which left Connors Highlands at 12:20 p.m., and was headed for Pier 11 in New York. Crew members and passengers saw the man climb over a railing and jump. The ferry was about 7 miles from Sandy Hook when it happened, SeaStreak officials said.
Senior Deckhand Dan Bevins of Atlantic Highlands said he got suspicious when he saw the man walk from the second deck to the starboard (right) loading area, take off his jacket, fold it neatly and lay it on the engine room hatch.
""It clicked in my head; I knew what he was going to do,'' said Bevins, who was inside the cabin. ""He had his leg on the rail. Another crew member ran to the door, he did look at us‚.‚.‚.‚I yelled.''
But over the roar of the ferry's engine, moving it at 35 knots … or about 40 mph, Bevins said he knew the man never heard him.
""As soon as he went in (the water), I grabbed a life ring, threw the ring and called "man overboard,' our code blue, and alerted the captain to turn around,'' Bevins said.
State Police identified the man as Joseph Ryan, 71, of Middletown.
Captain Dan Park turned the boat and headed back toward Ryan. ""He was floating on his back, as we came up to him, he started moving and raised his right hand,'' Bevins said. ""I handed him a boat hook and he grabbed on firmly with one hand.''
Bevins and deckhands Travis Brown, Joel Magsino and Engineer Mike Doren got him on the deck and brought him inside the cabin, covered him in blankets and passengers gave him their jackets.
""We laid him on his side to get some of the water out and took him to the Coast Guard station (at Sandy Hook),'' Bevins said.
A crew member was talking to Ryan, who made eye contact with him, said Jack Bevins, director of Marine Operations for SeaStreak and Dan's brother. ""He couldn't speak, but he gave us the thumbs up at one point,'' Jack Bevins said.
The ferry proceeded at full speed to the U.S. Coast Guard station at Sandy Hook, where he was treated by local emergency medical services.
""If it wasn't for that crew member, that man would have died. He was very lucky,'' said Geraldine Pritchard, a passenger on the ferry. ""An impressive and amazing rescue, passengers and crew were indeed instrumental in saving that poor man's life.''
Water temperature in that part of the ocean was 43 degrees, said Schuhlein. Ryan was conscious and stable when he reached the shore, Schuhlein said. State Police said he was taken to Monmouth Medical Center. His condition was unavailable.