NJ fisherman rescued from waist-deep mud, fire officials say

What began as a fishing trip for two men ended with a rescue for one and a medivac flight to a local hospital for another.

Rescue workers pulled a fisherman from waist-deep mud and airlifted another to receive medical attention for an unrelated injury, according to a statement from North Wildwood Fire Department Chief Dominick McClain.

McClain said that on Sunday at about 4:10 p.m., a water rescue crew from the North Wildwood Fire Department was asked to help the neighboring city of Wildwood Fire Department with a water rescue. The chief said the U.S. Coast Guard Station Cape May contacted Wildwood requesting assistance retrieving a fisherman that was stuck up to his waist in mud after climbing out of his boat. The man was stuck near Phillips Shields Island, which is in the Richardson Sound, or “back bay,” less than a mile northwest of West Burke Avenue, the chief said.

Although Coast Guard crews were already on the scene, they need a flat-bottom boat and trained personnel to retrieve the victim due to the low tide. Firefighters from North Wildwood responded in Marine 2-1, which is a flat-bottom Carolina Skiff boat. In addition, the chief said firefighters outfitted and trained for water rescue arrived with equipment needed to pull the fisherman from the mud.

"Through past training and experience, rescuers were aware of the challenges posed by the intense pressure and suction the mud places against individuals whom have become submerged. Rescuers were also aware of the need to avoid becoming submerged in the mud themselves," the fire chief said in a statement.

Rescuers used long-boards, a paddle board and an ice rescue sled from Wildwood Fire Department "to help displace the weight of the victim and rescuers over the mud."

When a rescue swimmer arrived on the fisherman's boat, he informed firefighters that another person on the boat required immediate medical assistance and transport via medivac to a hospital for an injury which, according to The Press of Atlantic City, involved a severe finger laceration.

When crews reached the submerged fisherman, they found that he was wearing chest waders "and was only beginning to experience complaints related to prolonged environmental exposure." Rescue workers began to dig the mud away from the man's  legs and freed him in about 15 minutes, the chief said. He was taken to a nearby dock for an initial medical evaluation.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.

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