Fisherman drowns trying to save gear from sunken boat off Southold beach

A 48-year-old fisherman drowned early Saturday after taking off his life jacket to retrieve gear from a sunken boat off Southold Town Beach, police said.

Luis Alciviades Encalada Ojeda, of Corona, Queens, and two other men had spent much of Friday night fishing from the beach before launching a 10-foot aluminum skiff around 4 a.m., Southold Town Police Chief Steven Grattan told The Suffolk Times on Saturday.

About 50 yards offshore, the boat began taking on water. All three men were wearing life jackets when they abandoned the skiff and swam safely back to shore, Chief Grattan said.

“They were at least somewhat prepared,” he said.

But Mr. Ojeda went back out for his fishing equipment and removed his life jacket, Chief Grattan said.

“It’s not clear if he was actually trying to dive down to the bottom to get the gear or if the boat was submerged and there was stuff underneath that he was trying to reach,” he said.

The water in Long Island Sound was “a little choppy,” Chief Grattan added, and the current was running.

Mr. Ojeda became separated from the small skiff and yelled to his friends for help. One swam out to reach him, but by then he was unconscious, Chief Grattan said. His companion brought him back to shore.

The drowning happened around 4:30 a.m., but the men’s wet phones delayed their efforts to summon help, Chief Grattan said. A nearby resident eventually called 911 around 7:10 a.m.

Emergency personnel found Mr. Ojeda on the beach and pronounced him dead at the scene, police said. His fishing buddies were treated but were not injured.

“I mean, I can understand fishing gear can be expensive but it’s not worth your life,” he said.

The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to assist with the investigation.

Chief Grattan said the skiff was too small for three adult men and urged boaters to check their vessels’ capacity ratings.

Southold had closed Lt. George R. Sullivan Beach, commonly known as Town Beach, to bathing for the summer after severe erosion last winter left parts of the shoreline unsafe, The Suffolk Times previously reported.

The death comes weeks after a 38-year-old New York City man drowned off Shelter Island’s Crescent Beach. The tragedy prompted local officials to warn swimmers and boaters not to underestimate open-water conditions, including tides and currents, as The Suffolk Times reported.

This story has been updated with additional details.