By Daniel Katzive
A dead person was found floating in the waters of the Hudson River along the Upper West Side this morning. Passersby reported a person in the water off West 66th Street at 7:47 a.m.
Fire Department Rescue and Marine Units responded quickly to the report but did not retrieve the body, which was floating face down just a few feet from the large rocks that mark the shoreline just north of the small plaza in Riverside Park South at West 66th Street. That grim task fell to the NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit, which arrived a short time later. Officers donned rubber dry suits and entered the water with a gurney, transferring the victim to a white body bag once they reached the shoreline.
According to the NYPD, the victim was a male in his mid-50s and was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no visible signs of trauma but the body has been transferred to the Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death and the investigation remains ongoing.
A pair of shoes was seen resting on a stone wall near where the person was found, but it was unclear if they belonged to the victim. Officers examined them and a bag nearby but did not immediately remove them.
This is at least the second time this summer that a deceased person has been found in the waters off Riverside Park, but other instances may go unreported. An email sent earlier this summer to the NYPD requesting data on the exact numbers has gone unanswered so far, but WSR will update readers if it is provided.
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Couldn’t the sprinklers have been turned off so the officers didn’t have to get watered while working in the water?
Yes, that is the correct takeaway from the post.
Rest In Peace.
That’s so sad. May he rest in peace and may his family be comforted through this terrible time.
Sad news! Passed this on my commute this AM and figured something happened, but wasnt sure of the details … RIP to this individual
I saw those shoes and a backpack left on the stone wall yesterday morning at about 7am while on my morning walk through Riverside South, so don’t think they are connected to the deceased unless he was in the river since yesterday.