Three 22-year-old men fell through the ice on Jamaica Bay in Queens yesterday. According to ABC7NY, the incident occurred just after 4 p.m. Witnesses reported that the men were in the water and calling for help. Thomas Castro, a bystander, said, “They're all screaming help. They're panicking,” describing the situation as urgent.
The NYPD and FDNY quickly launched a rescue operation, deploying a helicopter and a scuba team in response to a 911 call. Footage from the NYPD's aviation unit shows the victims being removed from the water individually, with the third person showing minimal movement after nearly 40 minutes in water reported by The New York Post to be around 36 degrees. During the rescue, one responder briefly fell into the water but was able to recover and continue the operation.
Some witnesses, who had previously warned against the dangerous venture, described the victims’ repeated risky behavior. Aiden Gabourel, who had seen the men crossing the ice before, told ABC7NY that he had expressed his concern: "Every day I drive by, I live around the corner, I see them doing it and I pull over and say look that's not a good idea, you shouldn't do that." Other neighbors shared similar observations, highlighting the risks that ultimately led to the incident.
Following the rescue, all three men were taken to local hospitals in stable condition, with two admitted to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital and one to St. John's Episcopal Hospital. Video footage released by the NYPD documented the rescue and highlighted both the risks posed by icy conditions and the efforts of the responding personnel.
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