Long Island Man, 63, Rescued After Treading in Atlantic Ocean for 5 Hours by Creating a Makeshift Flag

Dan Ho, of Copiague, was swimming off Cedar Beach in Babylon on Monday when he was pulled out to sea by the current, police said

A Long Island man was rescued from the Atlantic Ocean on Monday after he got caught in a current during a morning swim.

Dan Ho, of Copiague, was swimming off Cedar Beach in Babylon around 5:00 a.m. local time when he was pulled out to sea by the current, according to a statement from the Suffolk County Police Department.

The 63-year-old spent “approximately five hours” treading water before he made a potentially life-saving decision to create a makeshift flag in hopes of getting someone’s attention, per the department.

Ho fashioned the flag using his shirt and a broken fishing pole he found in the water. He then waved it in the air “in an attempt to notify passing vessels of his presence,” and was ultimately successful.

Related: ‘Gentle and Kind’ Georgia Man, 24, Dies After Presumed Electrocution in Lake Lanier

Jim Hohorst and Michael Ross spotted Ho in the water about two-and-a-half miles from where the swimmer entered the water, according to the SCPD.

The fishermen said there were “no boats” for miles when they came upon Ho in the water, according to ABC affiliate WABC-TV

"He was just treading water, praying some boat would come by,” Ross explained.

The two men quickly hoisted Ho onto the 2007 Albin Tropical Soul, per the SCPD. Afterward, Hohorst made a call over VHF radio, and authorities responded to the scene.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Ho “was conscious and alert but unable to stand” when he was transferred to the responding vessel, according to police.

"He was blue, [his] body gray,” Ross recalled, per WABC-TV. "He was shaking, totally hyperthermic."

Ross and Hohorst wrapped Ho in towels and tended to him until help arrived. “I had my arm around him sitting in the back seat just keeping him from falling over,” Ross explained.

He later added, “[Ho] just kept saying: ‘I thought I was a goner, I thought I was a goner.’ ”

Related: 15-Year-Old Missing After Disappearing in Water While Playing with Brother at Coney Island Beach

The responding officers treated Ho for hypothermia and brought him to shore, where the Long Island man was treated at the United States Coast Guard Station-Fire Island. He was later transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip.

The SCPD shared a photo of Ho wrapped in what appears to be a mylar blanket while speaking with first responders.

“I just hope everything's good, and he's okay,” said Hohorst, per WABC-TV.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.