Man stranded on personal watercraft on Sound is rescued

A 37-year-old New Jersey man had to be rescued Sunday night after his personal watercraft ran out of gas in the Long Island Sound off Belle Terre, police said.

Suffolk County police said Luis Rivera left Smithtown Marina aboard the craft at about 6:30 p.m. and when he didn't return his friends called 911. A search was conducted by police Marine Bureau and Aviation Section officers, who found Rivera at 10:40 p.m. -- about two miles north of Belle Terre.

Rivera was rescued by Marine Bureau officers James Comstock and Joseph Devlin. Police said Rivera was wearing a life jacket and was not harmed.

He was taken to the Brookhaven Town Boat Ramp in Port Jefferson, where he was reunited with his family, police said.