OSWEGO, NY – Coast Guard Station Oswego rescued a man and a woman from the west breakwall in Oswego Harbor on Saturday at approximately 9:45 a.m.
“They were walking along the breakwall when they fell in the water from six-foot waves,” said Machinery Technician 2nd Class Jason Furman, Station Oswego, Officer-of-the-day. “They were able to climb up the rocks and cling to the wall until we arrived.”
A 25-foot small response boat (RB-S) crew arrived on scene within a few minutes to bring the pair back to the station safely.
Emergency Medical Services took both of them to Oswego Hospital, where they were treated for mild hypothermia.
A fisherman from the vessel Lucky Dutchman contacted the Coast Guard on channel 16 when he observed two people stranded on the breakwall.
The man and the woman, who are both students at State University of New York Oswego, planned to visit the Oswego Lighthouse.
The Coast Guard encourages mariners to invest in a VHF-FM radio as their primary means of distress alerting on the water.
Communication via VHF-FM radio provides superior alerting capabilities over cellular phones.
When a mayday is sent out via VHF-FM radio it is a broadcast, not just one party is receiving the distress call; any nearby boaters can hear the distress call and offer immediate assistance.
In addition, the Coast Guard reminds everyone who recreates in or near the water to always wear a life jacket.
It is much more difficult to locate, access or don a PFD at the moment the accident occurs.
missing or outdated ad config
I think that anyone caught walking on the breakwall should be served with a ticket for trespassing. They not only are putting them selves in danger but are costing the Govt. to send out the Coast Guard to rescue them.
Get a grip buddy, there is absolutely nothing illegal about walking out there. Its a nice walk. The problem is these people didn’t have any common sense to know when its safe.
the breakwall is just a nusance the is in the way of recreational boaters. Especially at night.
Yeah, the breakwall is a nuisance. A breakwall or breakwater to some, is a barrier to break the impact of waves. If that breakwall that is such a nuisance to recreational boaters Tim, especially the ones that dock their boats in the marina which just may be you Tim, was not there, what do you think Lake Ontario waves would do to the docked boats Tim? I am sure that most boat owners with a slip in the Marina feel the same about the breakwall and would much rather have the occasional 22ft swell thrash their boat while it is docked in the Marina. Genius! This comment is in a facetious tone so I suggest you read it that way, Tim!