A 15-year-old boy was rescued Sunday night after becoming stuck in muddy water while walking through the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge, Suffolk County police said.
Watch video from the rescue provided by the SCPD:
According to authorities, the incident occurred at approximately 7:27 p.m. on April 5, when the teen, identified as Benjamin Moore, called 911 to report he was stuck in mud and unable to find his way out of the wooded area after dark.
Police said Moore had gone for a walk in the woods and became disoriented. While attempting to navigate his way back, he stepped into an offshoot of the Carmans River and sank into the mud, leaving him unable to free himself.
The Suffolk County Police Aviation Section launched a helicopter search over the river while Moore remained on the phone with a 911 emergency operator. He was instructed to use his cellphone flashlight to signal the aircraft, allowing officers to pinpoint his location from above.
Once the teen was located, aviation officers guided Seventh Precinct patrol officers and Emergency Service Section personnel on the ground to his position. Responders were able to reach Moore and pull him from the muddy water at approximately 8:25 p.m.
Additional support was provided by the Canine Section, Marine Bureau, and multiple local fire departments during the rescue operation.
Moore, of Shirley, was escorted out of the wooded area and transported by ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospital for evaluation.
