The body of a man, still unidentified, was recovered from the Hudson River near Manhattan’s Battery Park on the afternoon of Monday, May 26. This marks the latest in a series of human remains found in New York City’s waterways. Officers from the New York Police Department’s Harbor Unit retrieved the body in response to a 911 call reporting someone in the water.
Emergency responders located the man’s body at approximately 3:01 p.m. near Battery Park. He was found unconscious and unresponsive, and medical personnel confirmed his death at the scene after the Harbor Unit removed him from the river.
Authorities are still investigating how long the man had been in the water and whether foul play may have been involved. Police have stated that an inquiry is underway to determine the circumstances of his death. The Medical Examiner’s Office will carry out an autopsy to establish the official cause of death.
The man’s identity is being withheld until family members can be notified and the Medical Examiner concludes the identification process. Police are asking anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers, assuring that all tips will remain confidential.
This incident adds to a growing number of bodies recovered from waterways in and around New York City in recent months. The Hudson River and other nearby bodies of water have become sites of concern, raising questions about safety and possible criminal activity.
In February, a particularly disturbing discovery was made when a body was found stuffed inside a suitcase floating in the East River. The suitcase was spotted near Governors Island, and the NYPD Harbor Unit transported it to Pier 16 on South Street in Manhattan’s Financial District for further investigation.
The remains were later identified as 65-year-old Edwin Echevarria, who had been dismembered. Authorities arrested and charged 23-year-old Christian Millet with his murder, revealing that Millet had dismembered Echevarria’s body, placed parts of it in bags, and disposed of them in the water.
Other cases have similarly illustrated the challenges of investigating human remains found in local waterways. In September 2024, the body of a man was discovered in the Hudson River near Riverside Park. That case sparked suspicion due to unusual circumstances that required further investigation.
The victim, believed to be in his mid-30s to early 40s, was found near West 79th Street and Riverside Drive at around 7:15 a.m. The body had been weighed down with stones, prompting authorities to immediately treat it as suspicious. The man was still clothed when discovered, but it remains unclear if he had suffered injuries. Investigators relied on the Medical Examiner’s findings while exploring evidence that suggested an effort was made to conceal the crime.
Elsewhere, in March, another body pulled from the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey, was later identified as a murder victim. The remains belonged to 23-year-old Julio Torres of Passaic, New Jersey, who was found near Hoboken’s Pier C Park on March 23.
That investigation led to murder charges against Erick Fernandez, a 26-year-old tattoo artist from Lodi, New Jersey. Prosecutors alleged that Fernandez shot Torres, stole his possessions — including his car — and dumped his body in the Hudson River. Fernandez now faces charges that include first-degree murder, desecration of remains, multiple weapons charges, and robbery.
The repeated recovery of bodies from waterways in the area has heightened scrutiny from local authorities. The NYPD Harbor Unit continues to play a vital role in these recovery efforts, working with other agencies to determine the circumstances behind each discovery.
Officials are renewing calls for public assistance in their investigations. They urge anyone who might have information about the man recovered near Battery Park on Monday, or other similar cases, to contact Crime Stoppers. They emphasize that all tips provided will be kept confidential.
