Coast Guard Halts Search For Man Who Jumped From Staten Island Ferry

DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — The U.S. Coast Guard has called off its search for a man who jumped from the bow of a Staten Island ferry into the New York Harbor on Thursday night, authorities said.

The man, who has not been identified, was on board a Manhattan-bound ferry on Thursday evening when he jumped from the boat and into the water at about 10:15 p.m., an NYPD spokesman told Patch. He jumped in into the water near the Statue of Liberty, police said. People on board the ferry threw the man a flotation device, but he either wouldn't or couldn't reach the device, police said. The ferry's crew also dispatched a small boat to search for the man, the Coast Guard said.

Both the Coast Guard and NYPD harbor and aviation units scoured the harbor for the man after he jumped into the water, authorities said.

"Upon being notified of the incident, Coast Guard, NYPD, and FDNY units were immediately dispatched to the scene Thursday night saturating the area searching for the person until just after midnight," the Coast Guard said in statement. "Coast Guard units continued to search for the person through the night." (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

The Coast Guard called off its intensive search for the man on Friday morning, according to a bulletin from the agency. The late-night search include marine units from the city's police and fire departments as well as a Coast Guard helicopter crew.

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