OCEAN CITY – Four troopers from the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) Aviation Unit June 26 rescued a jet skier, who was stranded in a marsh, in Ocean City.
According to an NJSP release, at approximately 1:45 p.m., troopers from the Marine Services Bureau were contacted by the stranded jet skier, who advised he had been stuck in the mud for three hours. Understanding that high tide was several hours away, the troopers knew that a rescue by boat was not a viable option, so they requested assistance from the Aviation Unit.
A short time later, Sgt. 1st Class Michael Donnelly, Sgt. 1st First Class Patrick Balunis, Staff Sgt. Joseph Vinci, and Trooper I William Carney departed Ocean City Airport en route to the victim.
While the pilots maintained a hover at approximately 100 feet, the troopers lowered a rescue basket to the jet skier. Once in the basket, he was hoisted safely into the hovering helicopter and was transported to the airport, where it was determined that he did not sustain any injuries.
