Kayak safety: Death in the Nissequogue 8-12-11
I was there when it happened. I took a lot of shots of the rescue effort. I didn't see the kayak dump with the Dad and his kids or I would have dived in after them.
This is a very sad tragedy that has been all over the LI news.
I'll post the pics I took along with a narrative when I get a chance. In the meantime if anyone wants to post the news articles along with authoring links to the news sites, feel free.
My deepest condolences to this whole family and the group they came with.
Rescuers scour Nissequogue River for missing kayaker - News 12
That was a very sad thing to hear about. My heart goes out to that family. That being said, they were on an inflatable and Dad definitely should have had a pfd. T&P to the family.
Some links to the press coverage so far.
Rescuers scour Nissequogue River for missing kayaker - News 12
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...3dylCPcl9dQ4TQ
Suffolk County Police Fugitive/Missing Persons Section detectives are searching for a man that fell off of his kayak and into the water at Smithtown Bay, north of the Nissequogue River yesterday.
Patrick Luca, 41, of Smithtown and his 5-year-old son launched an inflatable kayak at the boat ramp at the end of Old Dock Road in Kings Park by the Nissequogue River at approximately 1:30 p.m. Friday. At approximately 2:45 p.m., Good Samaritans on a boat found the 5-year-old boy floating in Smithtown Bay wearing his life-jacket north of the mouth of the river. The boaters pulled the boy out of the water but were unable to locate Luca. The child did not sustain any injuries and was released into the care of his mother. The kayak was later recovered. Luca is a member of the New York City Police Department.
Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers, along with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and the New York City Police Department, are continuing to search for Luca.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Fugitive/Missing Persons Section at 631-852-6040.
Body of Missing Smithtown Dad Recovered
Body of Missing Smithtown Dad Recovered
Posted by James Brierton on Aug 12, 2011 |http://www.smithtownradio.com/wp-con...Guard-Boat.jpg (File Photo/US Coast Guard)
Kings Park, NY (SmithtownRadio.com) – The body of a missing Smithtown dad who went missing after his kayak flipped near the Nissequogue River has been recovered.
Patrick Luca, 41, and his 5-year-old son launched an inflatable kayak at the boat ramp at the end of Old Dock Road in Kings Park by the Nissequogue River at approximately 1:30 p.m. Friday
At 2:45 p.m., the 5-year-old boy was spotted floating in Smithtown Bay by a passing boat north of the mouth of the river. He was uninjured and lifted out of the water.
Luca’s body was spotted by a recreation boater Saturday around 11:30 a.m. near Sunken Meadow State Park in Kings Park, about a mile from where the kayak had been discovered the day earlier in Smithtown Bay.
The United States Coast Guard, along with Suffolk police, NYPD, and the Smithtown constable, worked through the night to search for Luca, who is an NYPD officer.
The Good Samaritans who discovered the boy floating Friday made an emergency radio transmission after finding the child. The broadcast was heard at the Coast Guard station in Connecticut, which immediately dispatched a rescue boat from Eaton’s Neck and a helicopter from Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
The boy was reunited with his mother onshore shortly after the ordeal Friday. Mother and son were taken back to their Smithtown residence.
“Thankfully the boy was wearing his lifejacket and a Good Samaritan was in the area to recover him,” said John Olsen, the United States Coast Guard Long Island Sound Sector command duty officer on watch during the incident. “Our responders are working hard to find this boy’s father.”
Divers and other personnel from area fire departments assisted in the search Friday afternoon.
The Smithtown Bay is a body of water between the Long Island Sound and the Nissequogue River.
The waterway has been reopened to boat traffic. It had been closed for a period of time while divers searched the waters.
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Tags: Breaking, Breaking News, Kings Park, Kings Park Fire Department, Nissequogue Fire Department, Nissequogue river, Smithtown, Smithtown Fire Department, Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County Police Department Aviation Unit, Suffolk County Police Department Marine Unit, U.S. Coast Guard
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The Nissy rescue effort 8-12-11
ERVs from all the surrounding towns showed up....
Within minutes of getting the call, a steady stream of vehicles started to arrive. The pics don't quite show all the rescue personnel. It was a massive rescue effort....
2 helicopters, at least 4 rescue boats, firetrucks, ambulances, over 50 rescue personnel on site....
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