At 9:40 a.m. the Coast Guard received a distress call from the crew of the vessel Killing Time, a 24-foot pleasure craft registered in Toms River, N.J., stating only "mayday". The call for help was picked-up by the Coast Guards Rescue-21 system and positioned the call as originating from a location 5 miles off the coast of Barnegat Light, N.J., in the Atlantic Ocean. A 47-foot boat from Station Barnegat and a rescue helicopter from Air Station Atlantic City were deployed to the scene. After searching the area pinpointed by the Rescue-21 system, the three men were spotted by the crew of the rescue helicopter sitting on the keel of their overturned boat. Two of the three men were wearing life jackets. A rescue swimmer was placed in the water to help the three men one at a time into the basket so they could be hoisted to safety.

Rescued were Ken Neto, 45, Gary Hudak, 49 and Anthony Bellero, 47. All three men were brought back to Air Station Atlantic City where they were met by local EMS and taken to Atlantic City Mainland Hospital in Galloway, N.J, and treated for mild Hypothermia.

The three men were in the 64 degree temperature water for approximately two hours.

The Coast Guard urges all boaters to have enough life jackets for everyone on board. 85% of all drownings involve someone who was not wearing a life jacket.