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Missing New Jersey Sailors: Kevin Hyde and Joe DiTomaso left Cape May for Florida and returned safely to New York

Staten Island, New York (WABC) — Two missing sailors from New Jersey, who were lost at sea for over a week after heading to Florida, share their journey when they return to land and reunite with their families.

Kevin Hyde, 65, Joe DiTomaso, 76, and their dog Minnie returned safely to New York City Wednesday night.

Not only were they dry, but they were fine as their long and dangerous journey was finally over.

“My granddaughter. And the cross of Jesus. Woke up every morning and kissed it and said it was our father. If no one believes there is a Lord, they have a problem.” Ditmasso said.

DiTomasso said he thought he would never see his family again.

Age 76 with friend Kevin Hyde and their dog rescued on tuesday by the U.S. Coast Guard, about 214 miles east of Delaware.

“Looking at the size of his ship and the size of the sea, compared to this toothpick I’m floating in, it’s because of the diligence of his crew that I can find it,” Hyde said. Told.

Newscopter 7 captured the Silver Muna crossing under the Verrazzano Bridge, reuniting the sailors and their families Wednesday night.

The crew somehow discovered them when a commercial tanker was carrying fuel from Amsterdam to New York.

Silver Muna’s captain, Neela Chaudhary, said, “God sent the Silver Muna’s ship to save them. My second mate realized that something was up.”

Capt. Zeta Merchant, New York Commander of the Coast Guard Sector, said it was a massive rescue operation.

Over 2,100 square miles from Miami to Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

The boaters left their hometown of Cape May, New Jersey on November 27 on a 30-foot yacht bound for Florida.

They lost contact on December 3rd in North Carolina. After 10 days they were off course. You are off course.

We had very little fuel, electricity, radio, navigation, or food.

“There was no more water and nothing left,” said Di Tomasso. “We were sucking water out of water pipes. We cut the pipes to get water. There was no water for two days. She wanted to drink it all.”

Hyde said he turned south at Hatteras when a huge storm threw them off course.

“When we cut off the mast, it opened 40 feet of ocean. There were mountains and I was looking at them,” said DiTomasso. “I’ve never heard a wind this bad. It sounded like the devil was there.”

When asked if they would try again, their answers were mixed.

“Of course I am not dead yet,” said Hyde.

“No. I’m close to the shore,” said DiTomasso.

Di Tomasso had a special family to thank for keeping him alive.

“All I asked the lord was to see my granddaughter,” he said.

The two sailors said Christmas with their families is what they are most looking forward to now that they are back on land.

Also read | New Jersey construction worker rescued after being impaled by rebar

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https://abc7ny.com/missing-sailors-return-kevin-hyde-joe-ditomasso/12571859/ Missing New Jersey Sailors: Kevin Hyde and Joe DiTomaso left Cape May for Florida and returned safely to New York

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