FaceTime leads rescuers to men balancing on flipped boat, Connecticut officials say

Two men were balancing on top of a flipped boat in 100-foot water — and FaceTime saved them, Connecticut rescuers said.

The men called 911 Tuesday, June 7, as their boat started “taking on water” in what they thought was Niantic Bay in Connecticut, the East Lyme Police Department said.

The boat flipped and sent the two men flying into the water, police said.

“They were then able to climb atop the capsized vessel while awaiting emergency responders,” police said in a June 8 news release. “When the individuals had difficulty reporting their location, dispatchers decided to utilize FaceTime.”

Police used the video call to see the men’s surroundings as they balanced on the boat. FaceTime helped police pinpoint their location to the Long Island Sound, according to the police department.

Authorities found the men standing on top of the boat, video shows. There was nothing and no one else around them.

The boat was found about a quarter-mile from the New York border, police said. The two men were balancing in water that was 70 to 100-feet deep.

Rescuers pulled the two men to safety into their boat, video shows. The men were taken to waiting ambulance officials.

Police did not disclose the men’s names or their conditions at the time.

This story was originally published June 9, 2022 at 10:46 AM with the headline "FaceTime leads rescuers to men balancing on flipped boat, Connecticut officials say."