The Coast Guard rescued a man overnight in Ocean County.

Officials say the rescue happened near the Bakers Basin Marina in Waretown.

They say 72-year-old John Mazzi was clamming on the bay Wednesday and failed to return to his marina slip.

The Coast Guard says that after three hours of searching, the rescue helicopter, along with two captains on a sea tow vessel, found Mazzi 200 yards away from his small boat in shallow water. It was around 2 a.m. Thursday when he was found.

“He was damn cold. Imagine being out…there for 12 hours. You can imagine what it’s like being in the water. He’s one tough individual,” says sea captain Walter Bohn.

Bohn says he and captain Dan Seagull helped Mazzi stay warm until he was airlifted to a hospital.