Seaside water rescuers respond to two boater in distress incidents in Barnegat Bay today

     Water rescuers arriving ashore in South Seaside Park from the afternoon distress call. (Photo: Justin Auciello/for NewsWorks)

    Water rescuers arriving ashore in South Seaside Park from the afternoon distress call. (Photo: Justin Auciello/for NewsWorks)

    Emergency services in Seaside Park and Seaside Heights were kept busy today with two calls for boaters in distress in the Barnegat Bay.

    Shortly before 11 a.m., a man was en route from his slip at the Seaside Park Marina to the municipal ramp at 13th Avenue to pull the vessel from the water when his engine stalled on approach about 500 yards off the shoreline, according to Seaside Park Police Department Det. Chris Bonner, who is also a member of the Seaside Park Volunteer Fire Company.

    The man tossed his anchor when he began to drift and shot flares into the air, altering people on the nearby dock to call for help, Bonner said.

    A water rescue unit launched a boat and brought the man ashore, where he was evaluated by the Tri-Boro First Aid Squad and did not require future assistance, according to Bonner.

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    Less than two hours later, rescuers responded to 24th Avenue in South Seaside Park for a similar incident.

    Two men had bailed water out their boat at its mooring post and were attempting to bring it ashore to the ramp at the nearby Island Beach State Park Marina when their engine failed, forcing them to drop their anchor, Bonner said.

    A police officer driving by noticed the men and called for assistance, according to Bonner. Water rescue crews launched a boat and brought the men ashore uninjured. 

    Meanwhile, the boats remain in the bay.

    “Conditions were too unsafe for Sea Tow to retrieve them,” Bonner said. “They were left anchored offshore, and when the conditions clear up, they’ll go out and retrieve them.”

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