2 Saved Floating in Hudson River Near Rip Van Winkle Bridge

First responders from all over the Hudson Valley jumped into the Hudson River to save two lives.

On Friday, May 13, around 9 a.m., the United States Coast Guard contacted the Ulster County Sheriff's Office to help officials from Greene and Columbia counties with two personal watercrafts (PWCs) that were drifting away in the Hudson River.

2 in Distress in Hudson River Near Rip Van Winkle Bridge in the Catskill area

Police were told the drivers of each watercraft were in distress and needed immediate help. The Ulster County Sheriff's Office marine unit M27 (Liberty) responded with a Glasco Fire Department vessel to the area just north of the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in the Catskill area.

Upon arrival, one stranded operator with a partially sunken PWC was located by the Ulster County Sheriff's Office. The other PWC and operator were located by the Glasco Fire Department, according to the Ulster County Sheriff's Office.

Police also found a small vessel that went underwater while trying to help the drivers.

"Our marine unit M27 managed to secure the partially sunken PWC onto the deck of the boat and transport it back, with the operator, to the Catskill boat launch," the Ulster County Sheriff's Office stated in a press release. "Due to the swift actions of Deputy Steyer and Sgt. Mullen aboard M27 and the Glasco Fire Department members who assisted on their vessel, no one was injured during this rescue and recovery."

The operators and PWCs were turned over to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office for further investigation. Following the investigation, both operators were issued several summonses after it was determined that both PWCs were unregistered and neither operator possessed a boater safety certificate, according to the Ulster County Sheriff's Office.