A 19-year-old Spring Valley man’s body was recovered from the Hudson River Thursday, June 26, after an accidental drowning at Haverstraw Beach State Park.
New York State Trooper Jennifer Alvarez said 19-year-old Eric A. Chugchilin, of Spring Valley, was found deceased in the Hudson River on Thursday evening after he entered the water at Haverstraw Beach State Park and did not return.
Officers arrived at the scene of the park at around 4 p.m., approximately 25 minutes after Chugchilin had not resurfaced from submerging himself in the water near the Riverside Avenue entrance of the park.
Alvarez said an investigation found that Chugchilin was walking through the water when he entered a deeper area where he couldn’t stand. Witnesses attempted to help rescue him but were unsuccessful.
Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, Rockland County Fire and Emergency Services Dive Team, New York State Forest Rangers, New York State Park Police Haverstraw Police, Thiells Fire Department, Stony Point Fire Department and Westchester County Police Marine Unit emergency boats and divers were on the scene to assist the New York State Troopers and Piermont Fire Department with the 2-hour long search.
At 6:20 p.m., divers from the Piermont Fire Department located Chugchilin’s body in the riverbed near the park.
The Palisades Interstate Parks Commission says swimming is not allowed at Haverstraw Beach or any other parks within the Palisades Region of New York State Parks.
“We implore visitors abide by this important safety regulation since there are no lifeguards present to respond in the event of an emergency,” PIPC Executive Director Joshua Laird said Thursday. “The Hudson River is subject to strong tides in these areas and the bottom can drop off quickly, making it unsafe for inexperienced swimmers.”
Contributing: Lohud’s Nancy Cutler
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Haverstraw Beach drowning victim identified as 19-year-old Spring Valley man
Reporting by Alexandra Rivera, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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