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Family rescued after boat runs aground near Fire Island Inlet
By
Willow Higgins
Published Aug 23, 2026
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Courtesy Suffolk County Police Department
By
Willow Higgins
Published Aug 23, 2026
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A Suffolk County police hovercraft rescued a family of four early Sunday after their boat ran aground near the Fire Island Inlet, according to police.
The family, which included a 2-year-old boy, his parents and his 62-year-old grandfather, was on a 25-foot fishing boat when it ran aground at low tide Saturday night and became stranded in the mouth of the inlet, authorities said. The mother called 911 just after 11 p.m., police said.
The first two officers who responded to the scene were “unable to get within a half mile of the stranded boat,” according to a press release from the Suffolk County Police Department.
Two other officers then transported a hovercraft to nearby Oak Beach and deployed it to reach the family. Officers began removing the family from the stranded boat shortly before 2 a.m., according to police.
The 2-year-old was taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip for treatment of minor injuries. Police said the other three family members were not injured.
Tagged
long island
public safety
Willow Higgins
Willow Higgins covers changes in New York City neighborhoods for WNYC and Gothamist. She has previously reported on wrongful convictions, corruption in district attorney offices and Texas' child welfare system.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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