On Monday afternoon, the body of an unidentified man was discovered in the Hudson River near Battery Park, making it the latest in a string of human remains found in New York City’s waterways. The NYPD Harbor Unit responded to the scene after a 911 call reported someone seen in the water.
First responders reached the area at around 3:01 p.m., where they found the man unresponsive and not breathing. Emergency Medical Services pronounced him dead at the scene after the NYPD Harbor Unit pulled him from the water.
Authorities are still working to establish how long the body was in the river and whether foul play could be involved. Police have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the man’s death. The city’s Medical Examiner is scheduled to conduct an autopsy to confirm the official cause of death.
Officials have not yet released the man’s identity as they seek to notify relatives and complete identification with the help of the Medical Examiner. Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers, assuring that all tips will be treated confidentially.
This case adds to a series of recent body discoveries in New York’s waterways. The Hudson River and nearby areas have seen several similar incidents, raising concerns about safety and potential criminal activity in the region’s maritime areas. In February, one of the most troubling cases occurred when a body was found inside a suitcase floating in the East River. The suitcase was discovered near Governors Island, and members of the NYPD Harbor Unit retrieved it and transported it to Pier 16 on South Street, near John Street in the Financial District.
That February incident was later identified as the remains of Edwin Echevarria, a 65-year-old man whose dismembered body was found in multiple bags. The investigation led to the arrest of Christian Millet, 23, who was charged with murder in connection with Echevarria’s death. Investigators revealed that Millet had distributed different body parts in separate bags before dumping them into the East River.
Past cases have highlighted the challenges investigators face when dealing with bodies found in local waterways. In September 2024, another man’s body was recovered from the Hudson River by Riverside Park, raising further suspicion and investigative interest.
The victim in the September case, an unidentified man believed to be in his mid-30s to 40s, was found in the Hudson River at West 79th Street and Riverside Drive around 7:15 a.m. Unique to that case, the body had been weighed down with stones, which caused investigators to regard the matter as suspicious from the outset.
The man in the September case was clothed, but it was unclear whether he had sustained injuries. Investigators depended on the Medical Examiner’s findings to determine the exact cause of death as they pursued leads in what appeared to be an effort to hide evidence.
Other incidents have emerged in the area as well, including one in March in Hoboken, where remains pulled from the Hudson River were later identified as those of a murder victim. That case involved Julio Torres, a 23-year-old from Passaic, New Jersey, whose body was found near Pier C Park in Hoboken on March 23.
In the Hoboken case, Erick Fernandez, a 26-year-old tattoo artist from Lodi, was charged with murder. Prosecutors allege Fernandez shot Torres, stole his belongings—including his car—and later disposed of the body in the Hudson River. Fernandez faces first-degree murder, several weapons charges, disturbing human remains, and robbery.
The recent string of bodies found in area waterways has drawn increased attention from law enforcement throughout the region. The NYPD Harbor Unit remains central to recovery efforts and works closely with other agencies to investigate each case.
Police continue to urge the public to cooperate in ongoing investigations involving bodies found in local waterways. Anyone with information that might shed light on the discovery near Battery Park or other related cases is encouraged to contact the Crime Stoppers tip line.