The Coast Guard rescued a man from the water off the coast of Falmouth, Massachusetts Monday afternoon. Video from Falmouth police showed the moment the victim was hoisted from the ocean into a Coast Guard helicopter.
At about 3:30 p.m., a Steamship Authority ferry reported seeing a person in the water near Juniper Point-Woods Hole and attempted to assist them by throwing life rings into the water.
Sea conditions and visibility were poor at the time due to a nor'easter that brought windswept rain to the Massachusetts coastline.
A person was rescued by a Coast Guard crew off the coast of Falmouth on Cape Cod.
Falmouth Police
The Coast Guard, Falmouth Fire, and Environmental Police were sent to the area to begin a search.
A Coast Guard helicopter crew located the man in the area off Nobska Point at about 4:25 p.m. A Coast Guard rescue swimmer was deployed, and the man was hoisted into the helicopter.
The helicopter took the man to Joint Base Cape Cod. He was then transported by EMS to Falmouth Hospital for exposure, but he was not seriously hurt.
Ferry passengers jump into action
The ferry from Vineyard Haven was on its way to Woods Hole when people spotted the man being tossed in the water. Roy Mundy was one of the passengers on the ferry who didn't hesitate to help.
"Out of nowhere one person stood up and said, 'man overboard' and it was really intense because every single person on the boat shot up immediately," Mundy said.
Police are still investigating how the man got in the water.
"It was horrendous out there so I'm so happy that they found him, we all wanted him to be found but you have to be honest, it looked bleak it was so dangerous out there," Mundy said.
Good Samaritans and crewmembers went out on the windy deck, throwing life rings to the man, and trying to keep their eyes on him.
"It was very shocking," Mundy said. "I saw a father out there who was trying to spot him while their son was by the door crying trying to get the father back in because he was scared he was going to fall over, it was very intense."
Falmouth police are investigating the incident.
