An unidentified man's body was pulled from the waters of Jamaica Bay along the Queens shoreline on Friday, May 29. Medics recovered the body near Beach 21st Street and Newport Avenue, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
The NYPD said the body was found floating near the Jamaica Bay shoreline and remains unidentified. According to PIX11, the city's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death, and investigators said the case is an active probe.
Where it happened
The recovery took place at Beach 21st Street and Newport Avenue, a stretch of shoreline on Jamaica Bay near the Rockaways. That shoreline is part of the wider Gateway National Recreation Area, whose marshes and beaches are managed by the National Park Service and can be remote and difficult for responders to reach. The National Park Service notes that several Jamaica Bay sites fall under Gateway's jurisdiction and have specific access guidelines and hours.
Investigation underway
Detectives are working to identify the man and to establish when and how he entered the water. Per PIX11, sources told reporters the body appeared to have been in the water for an extended period, and police have not released an identity.
Local context
Recoveries of human remains in and around Jamaica Bay are uncommon but not unprecedented. Reporting by amNewYork documented a headless body pulled from the bay in April 2024, and other local outlets reported possible human remains in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge earlier this year. Hoodline also covered a March 2026 probe into remains found in the refuge, underscoring how investigations around the bay can be complex and lengthy.
Anyone with information is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or submit an anonymous tip online, according to the NYPD. The city's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will complete an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.
