NEW CASTLE, NY –
A 53-year-old Yonkers man died and his 53-year-old female companion was hospitalized when a rowboat capsized early Sunday at the New Croton Reservoir.
The
cause is under investigation by the New York City Department of
Environmental Protection, which operates the reservoir system for the
city, a DEP spokesman said. The reservoir provides drinking water to the
five boroughs, and is also a popular fishing spot.
The
identities of the man and woman are being withheld pending notification
of family, DEP spokesman Adam Bosch said Sunday. He didn't know the
relationship between the pair.
Investigators estimated
the rowboat capsized between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., Bosch said.
Investigators have not determined why it happened, or confirmed if they
were fishing. Life vests were on board, but not being worn, he said.
"Both were thrown into the water," Bosch said.
Bosch
said the woman — who was conscious — was taken to the Northern
Westchester Hospital. He didn't know how long the pair was in the water
before rescuers arrived, but said the woman was assisted to shore by
another boat.
Boating on the reservoir is permitted for
fishing, and the pair was using an authorized boat, Bosch said. Anglers
are common during predawn hours at the reservoir, located about 22 miles from New York City.
The
New Croton Reservoir — part of the city's Croton Watershed — empties
into the Hudson River. The 2,182-acre reservoir is home to various
species of fish, including large-mouth bass, small-mouth bass, chain
pickerel, common carp, yellow perch, black crappie, brown bullheads and
sunfish.