Video: Man rescued after clinging to boat for more than 12 hours

For more than 12 hours, Arthur Moscufo clung to his boat waiting for rescue. Watch the moment he was saved from the Nantucket Sound

Arthur Moscufo, 36, was left clinging to his 10-foot aluminium boat for more than 12 hours after it capsized in Nantucket Sound off Massachusetts.

The alarm was raised by his girlfriend, who notified the US Coast Guard at around 0120 on Tuesday morning (21 February 2017) after he failed to return home.

Moscufo had set off on Monday morning for a trip on the Bass River.

He was eventually found at 0400, approximately two-and-a-half miles southwest of the the river in Nantucket Sound.

By then, he had been in the 37-degree water for more than 12 hours and was just wearing a life jacket, shirt, jeans and trainers.

He was taken to hospital where he was treated for hypothermia.

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Speaking to reporters, Moscufo said: “I never thought- taking water is one thing, but because I’m not used to that boat, I had no idea it would flip over that quickly and it did and it was really surprising and really scary”.

He said he tried not to look at his watch too often while waiting for help and credited his girlfriend for saving his life.

Commenting on the rescue, operations specialist Second Class Michelle Crocker, of Sector Southeastern New England, said: “I cannot stress enough the importance of checking the water temperature before going on the water in the winter months.”

“Additionally, the support provided by our interagency partners from the Cape Cod Mutual Response System ensured the successful outcome of this overdue case,” added Second Class Crocker.

The rescue of Moscufo involved the crew based at the Coast Guard Station Chatham and a US Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter.

In addition to the Coast Guard assets, the Harwich harbormaster, Yarmouth harbormaster, Dennis harbormaster, Yarmouth fire department, and Hyannis fire department responded and searched.