Woman Rescued From Under Boat That Capsized Near City Island
June 10, 2019, 9:50 a.m.
'When we arrived on scene, a man was screaming that his wife was underwater and never made it out when the other passengers escaped.'

Firefighters responding to the overturned boat
Seven people were rescued after their boat overturned on Sunday afternoon. One woman was "tangled in fishing gear" and trapped under the capsized boat, according to the FDNY.
The NYPD, FDNY, and Coast Guard responded to the boat, which was in the Long Island Sound. The Daily News reports the vessel was "near the Execution Rocks Lighthouse, which is between New Rochelle in Westchester County and Great Neck on Long Island." FDNY Lt. Ilya Zerakhto, Marine 4, described their rescue operations, saying when they arrived on the scene, a man was screaming that his wife was still underwater (while others had made it out).
NYPD Detective Brian Mullen noted, "There was a lot of debris—cushions, fishing lines, fishing poles, nets. I slowly start to make a clear way through, at which point I see a pair of feet... I grabbed the foot and the foot moved, at which time I put her down through the hatch and handed her off to Officer [James] Roche," who brought her to the surface and another boat.
Great job by #NYPD Aviation & #SCUBA rescuing a victim trapped under a capsized boat in the Long Island Sound. The divers deployed from the helicopter and found the victim in an air pocket under the boat. The victim and 6 others were taken to an area hospital to be evaluated. pic.twitter.com/W2Jir9tAqZ
— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) June 10, 2019
At a press conference, Zerakhto described the rescue mission, saying: "Firefighter Christopher Warner was at the helm of our boat, operating in choppy conditions, and Firefighter Lawrence Rooney was already suited up in cold water gear. Firefighter Stephen Maly ensured that Firefighter Rooney was properly tethered before he entered the water, and as Firefighter Rooney swam toward the overturned vessel, two divers from NYPD Aviation Unit were lowered into the water. The NYPD members swam under the overturned vessel and confirmed that the individual was conscious, but tangled in fishing gear. As they removed her, Firefighter Rooney grabbed the individual's shoulder. The person was in hypothermic shock."
More details from the FDNY:
Upon FDNY's arrival, five individuals had been removed from the water by other city and county agencies, and one remained trapped underneath the overturned boat. Although trapped, and surrounded by debris, the individual found a pocket of air and remained there while the rescue operation was underway. Firefighter Rooney secured the individual, and Marine 4 members used a tethered line to pull Firefighter Rooney and the rescued person to the safety of the fireboat.
Zerakhto added, "We train throughout the year in marine rescue, and before the FDNY Summer Boat Program begins in May, we complete a two-week course that is mandatory for all Firefighters and Officers. We drill every single day on the water, and we hold interagency drills. The teamwork today between FDNY and the other agencies was exceptional."
The woman, as well as the others who had been on the boat, was taken to North Shore University Hospital.
The NYPD also released video of the rescue: