Man dies after jumping from boat to swim in Patchogue Bay, cops say

A Farmingville man died Saturday morning after jumping out of a boat to go swimming in Patchogue Bay, Suffolk County police said.

James Melocoton, 52, was boating with friends in the bay, police said in a news release. About 1:10 a.m. Saturday, he and another person got out to swim, and a few minutes after, Melocoton appeared to suffer a medical event in the water and became unresponsive.

When Melocoton's friends were unable to pull him out of the water, they called 911. Marine Bureau officers responded and pulled Melocoton out, police said.

Melocoton was transported to Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the events and cause of death, police said.

There were reports of light rainfall and thunderstorms in the Islip area at the time, National Weather Service officials said.