Yesterday, at approximately 6:00 PM, the Dobbs Ferry Fire Department was requested by the Dobbs Ferry Police Department to respond to Waterfront Park for a report of a swimmer in distress. Witnesses reported seeing an individual approximately 30 feet from the shoreline go under the water and not resurface.
Additional resources were called to assist in the search efforts. The Piermont Fire Department’s Dive Team and Marine Unit, along with multiple other agencies, responded to the scene. Three Piermont FD Chiefs (13-1, 13-2, and 13-3), nine divers, and four EMTs arrived using Marine Units 1 and 2. The Dive Team gathered information on the swimmer’s last known location and marked the area with a buoy. Using side scan sonar, Marine Unit 13 initiated a grid search before deploying the divers. Within 8-10 minutes, two divers were deployed using a grapnel system to begin their search.
For the next three hours, team members rotated in searching the Hudson River’s bottom. Due to a tide change of 2-3 knots and diminishing daylight, the search was suspended.
Operations have shifted from a rescue to a recovery and will resume in daylight hours today.
Agencies involved in the search include:
Westchester County Police Department
Rockland County Sheriff’s Office
Rockland County Fire and Emergency Services
Piermont Waterfront Resiliency Commission
Piermont Police Department
Dobbs Ferry Fire Department
Dobbs Ferry Police Department
Tarrytown Fire Department
NYPD
Livingston Hose Company #1
Ogden Engine Company #1
Resolute Hook & Ladder Company #1
