Metro

Sailor rescued near Liberty Island

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(National Park Service)

National Park Service police rescued a shipwrecked sailor from the waters near Liberty Island today, authorities said.

Jonathan Kreger, 36, of Rutherford, NJ, was sailing his 15-foot sailboat when it capsized around 11:40 a.m., leaving him floating in the choppy waters for at least 30 minutes, officials said.

“He was clinging to the overturned boat,” said Sergeant Peter Culver.

The sailor, who was wearing a life vest, was unable to right his boat and was exhausted by the time rescuers got to him.

“He was kind of tired and complaining of stomach and chest pains,” Culver said.

Rescuers rushed Kreger to Liberty Island where park service EMTs checked him out and said he was suffering only from exhaustion.

The boat was towed back to Liberty State Park in New Jersey, where Kreger launched the vessel from earlier in the morning.