A 30-foot-long sailboat that was by police and fire officials in rough seas has washed ashore in Mattituck over 15 miles away.
The Tricolore was photographed on the shore of Bailie Beach in Mattiuck Friday morning by Patch reader David Schultz.
Petty Officer Russell Wolfe of the U.S. Coast Guard said he did not know how the boat made it to Mattituck beach, but added that the owners of the vessel knew the Tricolore was ashore and would make accomodations with Southold Police to salvage the ship. Southold Police were unable to be reached for comment.
Three New York City men aboard the sailboat Thursday evening called for help at about 7:45 p.m. saying the ship was in distress, according to a police statement.
Suffolk County Police, the Wading River Fire Department and the Coast Guard responded to the sinking boat two miles off the Wading River coast near Wildwood State Park.
Following the rescue, four Wading River firefighters were taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center as a precautionary measure to be evaluated for hypothermia, said Fire Chief Jim Evans. They were released last night and are "doing fine," he said.
The three men aboard the Tricolore, Jong Solano, 29, of Whitestone, Frederick Chandler, 28, of New York and Nicholas Condos, of New York, were rescued by the Suffolk County Marine Bureau and were taken to St. Charles Hospital for treatment of hypothermia and nausea, according to a statement from police. One man also suffered a non-life-threatening leg injury.
