In a remarkable tale of survival, a 63-year-old man found himself treading water in the Atlantic Ocean off New York’s Long Island for approximately five hours on Monday. Dan Ho was swept out to sea after going swimming around 5 a.m., officials said.
During the challenging hours, Ho managed to create a makeshift flag using a broken fishing pole and his shirt, waving it in the air to draw attention to passing boaters. About 2 1/2 miles south of the beach where Ho had entered the water, two fishermen, Jim Hohorst and Michael Ross, were out on a fishing trip. Initially, they mistook Ho for a lobster buoy, but upon closer inspection, they realized it was a person in distress.
Hohorst, who had served as a former officer in the New York Fire Department’s marine bureau, immediately called for help on the radio. The water temperature was approximately 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the rescue, according to Newsday.
Police officers quickly responded to the call, meeting the boat carrying Ho. Ho was conscious and alert, although he was unable to stand. He was treated for hypothermia on the police boat before being transported to a U.S. Coast Guard station. From there, a Coast Guard medic further attended to him, after which Ho was taken to a hospital for additional care and recovery.
