A 25-year-old man who went paddleboarding off Stone Harbor Beach in New Jersey Saturday afternoon prompted an all-out search from Coast Guard and other authorities.
His father reported to authorities at approximately 4:45 p.m. that the 25-year-old was missing after he was approximately 90 minutes late returning from his trip, according to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) via the Philadelphia Inquirer.
USCG Sector Delaware Bay sprang into action and led the search to find the missing paddleboarder by “deploying a 29-foot response boat from Station Townsend Inlet and a 65 Dolphin helicopter from Atlantic City,” the Inquirer noted.
The New Jersey State Police also assisted in the efforts to find the missing man by providing aerial support through one of its helicopters.
As the Coast Guard and other authorities were conducting their search, an individual who was recreationally boating in the area found the missing paddleboarder in a marshy area at around 7:30 p.m. in Stone Harbor.
The Good Samaritan’s discovering his whereabouts enabled authorities to bring the 25-year-old to safety.
“He was dehydrated, cold, and confused,” said spokesman Matthew Childs of the USCG Sector Delaware Bay. “But no injuries to report beyond that.”
This is not the first time a Good Samaritan and the Cost Guard worked to help an individual or group in need of marine rescue.
In July 2021, a Good Samaritan radioed officials after two boaters were in need of rescue – one of them injured by the propeller – prompting the USCG to rush to aide them, Breitbart News highlighted.
According to its website, the USCG conducts 42 search and rescue cases and saves 12 lives on average per day.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.
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