Chris Cuomo Rescue: Anchor Saves Man From Riptide

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo is being credited with helping rescue a man who had been swept away by a riptide in the Hamptons.

The New York Post reports that the “New Day” anchor was on his fishing boat with his wife and children near Shelter Island’s Sunset Beach on Sunday when he spotted the man struggling in the Peconic River.

Philippe East Hampton club managing partner Frank Cilione says Cuomo threw the man a life preserver, then jumped into the water, swam to him and pulled him to shore.

“Chris saved this man’s life. We saw him floating by in what looked like a very strong, fast current, and Chris began yelling at the man to swim out of it at an angle. But the man said he couldn’t move his arms, all his energy was spent, and he carried on floating away, his head barely above the water.

Chris threw him a life preserver, but the man still didn’t start swimming, so Chris jumped in the water and went after him. It was happening too fast to untie the boat and start the engine. At this point, the man was 500 to 600 feet away from us, almost so far that you couldn’t see him, but Chris is a strong guy and swam up to him.

Once he got to him, the man still couldn’t fight the current, so Chris then somehow managed to drag him back to shore, where they could stand in the water. If he hadn’t done this, the man would surely have drowned.”

Shelter Island Police Chief James Read says a bay constable picked up Cuomo and the man on a boat.

Cilione tells the Post that Cuomo saved the man’s life.

Speaking about the incident later, Chris said:

“The lesson is: Don’t jump in fast-moving water and think before you do something like that. I probably should have just radioed for the cops or something like that. I didn’t think the guy was going to make. He didn’t look good. I hope that he’s well, and I hope people don’t chase down his name.”

Cuomo is the brother of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.