Body of Missing Teen Sailor found in Lloyd Harbor

By Rupert Deedes

The body of Jack Koch, the 19-year old who went overboard during a midnight sail on the night of May 15th at the mouth of Oyster Bay Harbor, was found by a fisherman in Lloyd Harbor, off Caumsett State Park.

The fisherman called the police, and officers from the police department's Marine Bureau, along with Oyster Bay constables, recovered the body before taking it to Theodore Roosevelt Marina in Oyster Bay. The young man's body was then taken to the Nassau County Medical Examiner’s office for evaluation.

The police said that the investigation is continuing. According to police, the cold water temperatures would cause hypothermia within 30-40 minutes.

An 18-year old friend who was on the boat with Koch tried to look for him, but couldn't find him in the dark. He called other friends to the scene, but they, too, failed to locate Koch, and they all called 911.

Various, local, state, and federal units launched an intense search for Koch. The search covered more than 851 nautical square miles, and included several teams, including boats from the Coast Guard's Eatons Neck station, Oyster Bay Constable, the Bayville and Oyster Bay fire departments, Nassau police's Marine Bureau, and the Huntington Maritime Bureau.

Helicopters from the aviation units of Nassau police and the New York Police Department, as well as a Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod, also took part in the search.

The Koch family, from Locust Valley, thanked the multiple agencies which helped the search, and "many local friends and family members."

“While our hearts are broken at the loss of Jack, we are relieved he has been returned to us and grateful for the outpouring of love, generosity, and support from our wonderful community,” said Kate Koch, Jack’s mother.