The incident happened early Sunday morning, July 18 in Suffolk County, off Shoreham Beach in Shoreham.
A woman called 911 to report that her friend, Johanna Scheiber, 21, of Sayville, was swimming in the sound and the caller, who was on Shoreham Beach, lost sight of Scheiber at approximately 6:50 a.m.
Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau Officer Gregory Stroh, Seventh Precinct police officers, and members of the Aviation Section responded.
Seventh Precinct officers interviewed the caller and directed the police helicopter to the search area, according to Suffolk County Police.
Aviation Section Sergeant John Vahey, Officer David Rosante, and Stony Brook University Hospital Flight Paramedic Chris Barnes, who were in the police helicopter, located Scheiber in the water approximately one mile offshore, and Barnes and Rosante dropped floatation devices from the helicopter to the swimmer, police said
Members of the Wading River Fire Department responded on a boat and transported the victim to shore. Scheiber was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
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