Two Rescued from Sinking Boat off Eaton's Neck

By Chris O'Neill

Two elderly boaters were rescued last week from a sinking boat in the Long Island Sound waters off Eaton's Neck, thanks to the quick rescue work by the Suffolk Marine Police and the Huntington Harbor Master.

Rescued were the boat’s owner Maurice Arvon, age 76, of Amityville; and his passenger, Stonie Hertzot, age 71, of Deer Park.

The Suffolk County marine police rescued the two people one mile north of Eaton's Neck Lighhouse.  The two had sailed from Northport Harbor for a day excursion in their 1997 Bayliner Trophy cuddy cabin.

Marine Bureau officers Erik Johnson and Timothy Dillon responded to a distress call, and arrived at about 2PM in the Marine force’s Marine Bravo boat.

When officers Johnson and Dillon arrived at the sinking boat, they found the boat’s cabin and stern were already partially submerged, with the two passengers clinging onto the sinking boat.

The two officers rescued Arvon and Hertzot from the boat, and then - working with the Huntington Harbor Master - began pumping out the water to re-float the boat.

They successfully re-floated the boat, and using the Marine Bravo, they towed the boat back to the Soundview boat ramp in Northport.

Thankfully, the boat owner and his passenger were not injured.