Quick Acting, Good Samaritans Rescue Jet Skiers After Hudson River Mishap
PEEKSKILL, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Quick action in fading light may have saved three men after their jet ski started sinking.
As CBS2's Lou Young reported, the men had to be plucked from the chilly Hudson River on Sunday, during an autumn sunset in Peekskill.
Two friends rushed to the rescue.
"I hear someone yelling for help and we see out in the bay, this guy in a jet ski sinking," John Ricci said.
"Two guys were in the water, one was still on the ski," Brian Calabro added.
To say it's late in the season for water sports is an understatement.
The rescuers were over in a boatyard putting their craft away for the winter. The three suddenly surprised swimmers were out in the bay. The marina work boat was still afloat and operative.
"They said they were there for ten minutes before we got there. One of the older gentlemen was really cold. he was locked up on the jet ski. It was hard to get him in the boat," Ricci said.
The men were lucky, locals said. The river is more dangerous than it looks.
"It's getting very cold. It's gorgeous today, but not everyday is like this. It's freezing," Peekskill Lake resident, Jennifer Craines said.
The water is just over 50 degrees. The men were just minutes from being immobilized by the cold and about and hour from hypothermia.
They weren't dressed properly for a jet ski excursion in November.
"They were wearing jeans, and sweatshirts, and workboots, and nothing really made sense," Ricci said.
Nothing made sense, except for the life jackets that at least kept them afloat and alive for a quick rescue that was pure luck.
Several people at Peekskill's Riverfront Green called 911, police told us by the time they arrived, the good Samaritans had already come to the rescue.