Boater rescued from Moriches Inlet

The Patchogue man who was rescued from Moriches Inlet after a Good Samaritan found him alongside his capsized boat is "lucky to be alive," his father said Friday.

Coast Guard and Suffolk County police carried Christopher Fargione, 50, safely back to shore late Thursday after he had spent about 90 minutes in the rough, chilly waters.

"He tried to swim to this other boat but he couldn't make it," said Jerry Fargione, speaking of his son 12 hours after he was released from the hospital.

"He hooked his arm into the keel and the waves were going over his head. He's lucky to be alive."

Fargione, who was fishing for striped bass, was the third person this week to be rescued from the treacherous waters of Moriches Inlet.

Police said Fargione was fishing alone in the inlet wearing a lifejacket when his 20-foot Shamrock boat became disabled, then capsized.

Joe Eolosa of East Patchogue saw Fargione in the water -- but could not rescue him because his own boat became stuck on a sandbar, officials said.

Police said they received a 911 call reporting a stranded boater at 11:40 p.m.

The Coast Guard Station in Shinnecock launched a helicopter and a rescue boat, but a Suffolk Marine Bureau unit made the actual rescue.

With Zachary R. Dowdy