After Season Water Rescues

By Katie McFadden

Lifeguards officially went off duty for the summer after September 7. And there have been three water rescue responses since.

The first incident appeared to be a false alarm. On Sunday, September 14, at 5:40 p.m., NYPD Aviation, ESU, Harbor and FDNY responded to the ocean around Beach 145th Street after receiving a report of an unidentified surfer missing in the water. However, divers and harbor units canvassed the water with negative results.

After a while, many of those units switched focus to respond to a call for help at 6:23 p.m. on Sunday around Beach 84th Street. The call was for two people in the water in need of assistance. As police responded, they found Jose Segarra, 46, and Joanne Espianal, 45, near the rock jetty, calling for help in the water. The rescue involved NYPD Harbor and Scuba units and even a rescuer lowered by helicopter to bring the victims to safety. The victims suffered minor injuries along the jetty. Segarra was taken to St. John’s Hospital with complaints of neck and back pain. Espianal sustained minor lacerations to the legs.

In another incident on Monday, September 15 at 12:12 p.m., police received a call about a male who drowned on Beach 116th Street. Units responded and rescued a male from the water. The unidentified man was transported to St. John’s Hospital, where he was last listed in critical condition.

As a reminder, lifeguards are now off duty and won’t be back until Memorial Day weekend. Please only swim when and where lifeguards are on duty.