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Peconic Star crew rescues man clinging to capsized boat in Sound

A Nesconset man was rescued from a capsized boat in Long Island Sound Thursday morning after clinging to the vessel for 30 minutes.

Dave Brennan, captain of Peconic Star Express, said he was on his way to Fishers Island with 14 customers aboard when he noticed a man hanging on the edge of an overturned boat.

“We tossed him a lifering, then we got him onto our boat,” he said.

The capsized boat was northeast of Little Gull Island, according to Southold Town police.

Mr. Brennan relayed the situation to Southold police via radio just after 10 a.m., and bay constables were alerted to assist. The man in the water, identified as Conroy Lee, was wearing a life jacket, police said.

Mr. Lee, who had rented the 24-foot boat to fish near Fishers Island, was transported via a Southold police boat to Orient by the Sea Marina where members of the Orient Fire Department were waiting to assist, police said.

Bill Wysocki, chief of the Orient Fire Department, said the man did not sustain any injuries and he was released.

Mr. Brennan, who has been working on the water for 40 years, said it took him 10 minutes to safely pull the man aboard. He said Peconic Star emergency drills prepared him for the situation. Peconic Star Express is based in Greenport and typically sails from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We knew what to do,” he said. “He’s really lucky we got to him in time.”

Bill Lieblein, owner of Port of Egypt Marine, said Mr. Lee had rented his boat to fish, as he has done regularly in the past.

Mr. Lieblein said Mr. Lee was having problems with the boat’s anchor.

“He was anchored from the bow and the boat started tipping,” Mr. Lieblein said. “He ran to get a a knife to cut the line for the stern, but he didn’t get to it fast enough and it flipped over.”

Shortly after Mr. Lieblein discovered Mr. Lee was safe on land, he searched for his boat with Peter Douglass, of Douglass Marine. Mr. Brennan soon found the boat north of where the incident occurred. Mr. Douglass successfully brought the boat to shore.

He said the boat did not sustain any significant damage, but the engine may need repair.

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