Rescue Mission: Man Floats 5 Hours In Ocean Off Long Island Coast After Tide Pulls Him Out

A man who went for an early-morning swim off the coast of Long Island soon found himself stranded when the tide pulled him over two miles from the shore.

Dan Ho, aged 63, was pulled out by the current over two miles from shore after a morning swim, police announced. He was rescued nearly five hours later.
Photo Credit: *Suffolk County Police Department/Google Maps*

Sophie Grieser

07/31/2023 5:30 p.m.

On Monday, July 31 at approximately 5 a.m., 63-year-old Dan Ho went for a swim at Cedar Beach in Babylon, according to Suffolk County Police.

However, things quickly went south when the current pulled him out into open water.

After five hours of treading water with no flotation devices, Ho was able to find a broken fishing pole in the water.

He tied his shirt to the pole and waved in the air in an attempt to alert passersby.

Two boaters, Jim Hohorst of West Islip and Michael Ross of Syosset, spotted Ho two-and-a-half miles south of where he went swimming. They were able to pull him onto the boat and contact authorities.

According to reports, Ho was conscious and alert, but he was not able to stand and was given hypothermia treatment.

The US Coast Guard Station - Fire Island brought Ho ashore, where he was treated and taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip.

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