A New York City man was pulled by the current for about five miles from Queens to New Jersey and forced to tread water for hours.
Pete Aldean, 34, was found in the ocean about 2 miles off the coast of Sandy Hook in the Garden State by a fisherman and his son around 9 a.m. Monday. The Middletown Township Police Department explained:
It was not immediately clear when Aldean, described by police as a swimmer, went into the water, but he told authorities he likely waded into the water around Breezy Point in New York and was then swept by currents onto the New Jersey coast.
The tip of Sandy Hook and Breezy Point are separated by about five miles of water.
Boaters reportedly found Aldean in the water, pulled him aboard and transported him to Monmouth Cove Marina in Port Monmouth, New Jersey.
Middletown County police said Ordane was deemed to be in “good health” despite his ordeal and was released after declining further medical treatment.
He received a set of dry clothing and some food before arranging transportation out of the area.
Authorities praised the fisherman and his son, who asked not to be named, for “undoubtedly saving” the man’s life.
The miraculous rescue came just two weeks after two teenage girls drowned off the coast of Coney Island.
The boys, ages 17 and 18, went missing in the water near Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn at about 8:10 p.m. Their bodies were found on shore about an hour later.
