On Tuesday, emergency crews responded to a report of a lost swimmer in the upper Hudson River.
A group of teenagers had been jumping off a concrete pier underneath Stillwater Bridge Road. The span is located on the border of Saratoga and Rensselaer Counties.
Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo said the lost swimmer, a 15-year-old boy who had not been identified as of Thursday morning, had jumped into the river, surfaced, and then disappeared.
“Hot day, kids were going into the water. Our victim had jumped in, resurfaced, and the other teenagers that were with him saw him come back up and saw him go back under again. They immediately called 9-1-1. The Stillwater Police Department was first on the scene, we were second on the scene,” said Zurlo.
Multiple other agencies also arrived. Zurlo said his department’s dive team was mobilized and the body of the victim was recovered. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday morning.
The boy was swimming without supervision. Zurlo asked all swimmers in an area without a lifeguard to not swim alone and exercise caution.
The incident follows two other recent drownings.
On July 4th, 12-year-old Dominick LaFountain drowned in Sacandaga Lake in Fulton County. LaFountain reportedly slipped from shallow area into deeper water after swimming with family. He was later found by a dive team under 11 feet of water.
A week earlier, 16-year-old Connor Reynolds died after a fall at the Poestenkill Gorge in Troy.
Troy Fire Chief Tom Garrett said the boy was swimming with friends and was told he slipped and fell into the water. Garrett told TWC News that divers were needed to retrieve the victim.
“It was a hard rescue. The individual was trapped underwater. We put divers in there. They had to free him to get him out,” said Garrett.
Another man died at the Poestenkill Gorge in August 2014.
Kimmy Venter, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross in Albany, said even people who are competent swimmers should take extra steps to be safe when swimming in an unsupervised area.
“Being prepared mentally, mentally preparing for what you might do in the case of an emergency. Do you know how to get out of the water quickly? Would you be able to call 9-1-1? Does somebody with you know CPR?”
Venter said drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury or death among children and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 10 Americans die every day of accidental drowning.
Venter echoed Sheriff Zurlo’s sentiment of knowing your surroundings. She also suggested using life preservers in unsupervised areas. The Red Cross offers swimming lessons, CPR, and lifeguard certification programs.
Zurlo said although the group in Stillwater managed to call 9-1-1 immediately, it was unfortunately too late.
“Don’t go alone, go with a group. Know your surroundings, know the body of water, and don’t jump into a body of water off a bridge,” said Zurlo.
For swimmers looking for a safe place to swim, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation has a list of statewide swimming areas and hours.
