NJ captains honored after rescuing stranded boater in overnight Barnegat Bay search

Waretown, NJ – Two Central New Jersey captains are being recognized for a late-night rescue that saved a 72-year-old boater after a daylong trip turned into a life-threatening ordeal in frigid waters. The honors follow a multi-agency search effort in Barnegat Bay that ended with the man being located and airlifted to safety.

Captains Walt Bohn and Dan Siegel were awarded the “Efforts Above and Beyond” distinction at a national maritime services meeting, recognizing their role in locating clammer John Mazzi during a nighttime operation. The rescue unfolded after Mazzi failed to return home, prompting his wife to alert the U.S. Coast Guard.