Drowned Chestnut Ridge man recovered from Greenwood Lake

GREENWOOD LAKE. Police said a Chestnut Ridge man was not wearing a life jacket when he drowned Sunday evening while trying to help two children get back onto a pontoon boat.

| 19 Aug 2019 | 01:20

The body of a Chestnut Ridge man who drowned while boating on the New York side of Greenwood Lake on Sunday was located Monday morning, police said.

Greenwood Lake Police and Fire Department responded to a 911 call of a person submerged mid-lake at approximately 5:20 p.m. Sunday, police said.

According to Police Chief John Hansen, David Traub, 38, was on board a pontoon boat and jumped into the lake to assist two children who were swimming alongside the boat and became distressed trying to get back onboard.

Hansen said the investigation is ongoing, but four adults and 10 children are thought to have been aboard the boat.

With help from another adult, Traub was able to get the children safely back onto the boat before submerging, Hansen said.

He was clothed and probably became exhausted trying to swim, Hansen said.

According to Hansen, the children, who are estimated to be 8 and 10 years old, were wearing life jackets, but Traub was not.

The search was called off Sunday around 7:30 p.m., due to thunderstorms, Hansen said, and was resumed early Monday morning.

“I just want to thank all the agencies involved here for leading the search and rescue,” Greenwood Lake Mayor Jesse Dwyer said. “Unfortunately, this was a search and rescue operation since yesterday, and we just want to thank them.”

New York State Police, Warwick Police, West Milford Police, Monroe Fire Department, Cronomer Valley Fire District and Kiryas Joel community members were all involved in the search and rescue operation, Hansen said.

According to police, Traub was a member of the Jewish community.

According to Hansen, the incident occurred in 25 feet of water, and State Police used side sonar on Monday to locate Traub.