Man Stranded On Raft In Bay For More Than 8 Hours Rescued

MASTIC BEACH, NY — A man stranded on a raft in the bay in Mastic Beach was rescued early Sunday, police said.

According to Suffolk County Police, the rescue took place at 3:50 a.m. on Narrow Bay; marine bureau officers received a 911 call reporting a man yelling for help in the marsh on the north side of the bay just after 3 a.m.

A Suffolk County Police Department helicopter located a 10-foot inflatable raft with Brian Bishop, 35, of Coram, onboard and struggling to reach shore.

Police believe he had been in the raft for about eight hours.

Officers John Mullins and Dale Kelly pulled Bishop aboard a marine bureau vessel and began a search for another man who had also been on the raft, police said.

Bishop and a friend had launched the raft from Smith Point County Park in Shirley earlier in the night, more than two miles from where Bishop was found, police said. The friend jumped out of the boat and swam to shore — and, after a brief search, the man was located, unharmed, onshore, police said.

Seventh Precinct officers and the United States Coast Guard assisted in the search, police said.