Southampton Town bay constable rescues surfer

A surfer in distress east of the Shinnecock Inlet was rescued by a Southampton Town bay constable Sunday.

Town police said the surfer, a boy, 15, from Hampton Bays, was not injured and declined medical attention after being removed from ocean waters by bay Constable Al Tuzzolo at about 3:43 p.m.

Constables received a distress call from a boat in the inlet reporting that the surfer was near the east jetty, in danger of being thrown into the rocks by heavy surf.

A fisherman on the jetty called out to a boat, which broadcast the distress call, police said in a Monday news release.

Tuzzolo responded, arriving on the scene within minutes, police said, and "was able to maneuver the patrol boat close enough to the surfer to bring him on board."

In a news release, police said the surfer was taken to the dock at Oakland's Marina, where he was picked up by his parent.

The boy told police he had been surfing on the east side of the inlet, off the county park, when breaking surf pushed him too close to the jetty and he was unable to paddle to open water or the beach.