Piermont, NY – Emergency responders from Rockland and Westchester counties were dispatched to the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge early Monday morning, October 26, following a report that a person had jumped from the bridge into the Hudson River.
According to information attributed to the Piermont Fire Department, the incident was reported shortly before 3:30 a.m., prompting an emergency response involving firefighters from both sides of the Hudson River.
Members of the Piermont Fire Department assisted the Tarrytown Fire Department during the operation. The two departments serve communities on opposite sides of the bridge, which connects Rockland and Westchester counties.
The Piermont Fire Department, based in the Village of Piermont in the Town of Orangetown, maintains marine and underwater rescue capabilities and participates in emergency operations along the Hudson River.
The Tarrytown Fire Department also operates a marine rescue unit and provides emergency services along sections of the New York State Thruway, including the Mario Cuomo Bridge.
A photograph released by the Piermont Fire Department documents emergency crews’ search efforts on Monday morning.
As of the latest information available Monday morning, authorities had not confirmed whether the person involved had been located.
Officials also had not publicly released the person’s identity, age, hometown or medical condition.
The circumstances leading up to the reported incident have not been established. No information was available concerning whether police or emergency personnel had spoken with the person before the incident was reported.
Authorities had not released details about the exact location along the bridge where the incident occurred, the duration of the emergency operation or the equipment deployed during the search.
There was also no confirmed information establishing whether the incident affected traffic on Interstate 87/287, which crosses the Hudson River on the bridge.
The Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, commonly referred to as the Tappan Zee Bridge, is a major Hudson River crossing between the Village of South Nyack area and Tarrytown. The approximately 3.1-mile twin-span bridge carries Thruway traffic between Rockland and Westchester counties.
Emergency response operations along this portion of the Hudson River can involve agencies from both counties because of the bridge’s location and the need for specialized marine equipment.
Both Piermont and Tarrytown maintain volunteer fire departments with responsibilities that include responding to emergencies near or on the river.
The Piermont Fire Department has previously participated in search and rescue operations throughout the Hudson River corridor, including calls involving other regional bridges. Those incidents are separate from Monday’s emergency.
The October 26 incident remained a developing situation as of the information available Monday morning.
Additional details, including the outcome of the search and whether other agencies participated, had not been independently confirmed.
Further information may become available through the Piermont Fire Department, Tarrytown Fire Department or investigating law enforcement authorities.