N.J. aviation troopers rescue stranded jet skier from Barnegat Bay

New Jersey state troopers rescued a jet skier stranded on a Barnegat Bay island Sunday afternoon after her jet ski malfunctioned.

Authorities say troopers were dispatched around 3:45 p.m. to search for a jet skier reported missing near the Double Creek Channel off Barnegat Light.

Arriving troopers from the Marine Services Bureau learned that the jet skier had become separated from her family and did not have a cellphone, prompting a water and air search.

While conducting an aerial search of Clam Island, troopers Benjamin Bishop and Andrew Stephanic spotted the victim, who was not identified, in a marsh that was not suitable for a landing.

That’s when Bishop hovered the helicopter just above the ground, allowing Stephanic to assist her aboard. Authorities say the troopers had to act quickly because the victim was “visibly distressed” in the heat.

The victim was transported to the nearby U.S. Coast Guard Barnegat Light where she was treated by medical personnel and reunited with her family.