What to Know
- Reports of a mysterious falling object from the sky off Long Island, near JFK Airport, sparked an intensive air and water search
- The object turned out to be two Mylar balloons, which were eventually spotted by aviation units
- The 45-minute search is estimated to have cost thousands of dollars
The Coast Guard was dispatched to search the waters of Atlantic Beach on Long Island after they got a report of a either a person or an object falling from the sky Thursday evening.
The mysterious falling object turned out to be two Mylar balloons, according to officials.
Authorities say they was notified just after 6:30 p.m. of a green object falling from the sky by witnesses on the nearby boardwalk.
"Two credible witnesses saw something falling from the sky, green and blue in color," said Jonathan Kohan of the Atlantic Beach Rescue Squad.
"The details were a skydiver falling between beaches and barges, about a three-mile radius," said Captain Chris Alianakian.
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The rescue squad got in their boats and got out their drones, and tried to locate whatever fell as quickly as possible.
"We're looking for a debris, looking for a parachute; in the case of a boat fire, we are looking for smoke," said Alianakian.
Nassau County police marine and aviation units and Long Beach police assisted in the search, and after about 45 minutes, aviation units found two Mylar balloons floating in the water, one green and one blue.
Authorities determined no one was in danger. They say the call warranted a serious response but the search is estimated to have cost thousands of dollars.
"We're thankful but it felt little bit like a waste of time -- bunch of grown men looking for balloons is a little funny if you think about it," said Alianakian.
