Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) Aviation Section officers assisted a 15-year-old who was trapped in the mud while trying to leave Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge on Sunday night.
Benjamin Moore, a resident of Shirley, went for a nature walk on Easter Day, got lost in the woods, and couldn’t find his way back after it got dark. He called 911 at 7:27 p.m. after accidentally stepping into a branch of the Carmans River and started sinking into the mud because he couldn’t free himself.
The aviation section officers flew a search route above the river while Moore remained on the line with the 911 operator. He was directed to use the flashlight on his cellphone to signal the police helicopter. Upon locating the subject, SCPD Seventh Precinct Patrol and Emergency Service Section officers on the ground found their way to Moore, who was pulled from the muddy waters at approximately 8:25 p.m.
Moore was led out of the woods and then taken by ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospital for evaluation.
The SCPD Canine Section and Marine Bureau officers, along with several fire departments, also responded to the scene to provide extra support.
This was the second open-water air rescue over the South Shore of Long Island during Easter weekend.
