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A Suffolk County Police officer plunged into the frigid Narrow Bay early Sunday morning to save the life of a hunter whose kayak capsized.
A bystander noticed Nicholas Shakalis, 34, around 8:45 a.m. floating helplessly in the bitter cold waters and called 911.
Suffolk County police quickly responded by sending a helicopter flown by Command Pilot Sgt. John Vahey. Rescue Swimmer Police Officer Jonathan Jensen of SCPD’s Emergency Service Section jumped into the bay to help Shakalis, who was clinging on to his small watercraft near Pattersquash Island. See his heroics in the video below.
After being assisted to shore, Shakalis received immediate medical attention from the Center Moriches Fire Department and Stony Brook University Hospital Flight Paramedic Erin Carey.
Shakalis was then flown to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was treated for hypothermia.
Tactical Flight Officer Victor Federico also assisted in the rescue.
