East Moriches rescue: Hypothermic kayaker pulled from mud in Terrell River

A kayaker was rescued Friday afternoon after he sunk into the mud in the Terrell River in East Moriches, fire officials said.

The East Moriches Fire Department responded to a 911 call reporting a vessel stuck in the water around 3:18 p.m., according to Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services officials.

When first responders pulled up on the east side of the river, which was shrouded by reeds, they "heard someone yelling for help" but could not see him, East Moriches Fire Chief John Ragone said.

Firefighters with the Center Moriches and Eastport departments entered the river on a pair of small boats and discovered a man and a kayak, both "stuck in the mud," Ragone said.

"I believe he attempted to get out" and pull the kayak from the mud, "and he sunk down to his upper thighs in the mud," Ragone said.

The responders pulled the man out of the mud and brought him back to the shore for medical attention. Ragone said the man was likely in the water 30 to 40 minutes before a 911 call was placed and first responders arrived on the scene.

"He was hypothermic and he couldn't really walk when we got him out," Ragone said. "The water is 50 degrees...Probably another hour or so and he probably would have been in serious trouble."

East Moriches Community Ambulance brought the kayaker, who officials have not identified, to a hospital for treatment, according to the fire chief. Members of the Westhampton Beach and Mastic Beach fire departments and the Suffolk County Police Department also responded.

After they rescued the man, first responders reentered the water to retrieve his kayak so it was not spotted by waterfront homeowners, who might then call 911 thinking someone needed to be rescued, Ragone said.

The fire chief said calls of boaters stuck in local bodies of water are "frequent" in the offseason, when warming air temperatures create an illusion of safe water conditions.

"People see what appears to be a nice day and they go out in their kayaks (and) canoes and they end up getting stuck or they get caught in a current and overturn," he said. "The water is just too cold this time of year."