Man Flying Drone At Hawk's Nest Falls To His Death

DEERPARK, NY — A Sullivan County man trying to recover a drone that had fallen down an embankment fell to his death Tuesday.

The New York State Police said Binh Ledinh, 42, of Lumberland, Sullivan County, was flying a drone on Route 97 at Hawk's Nest during the early morning hours of Tuesday.

Around 7:30 a.m., the drone crashed 17 feet down an embankment.

Police said Ledinh tried to retrieve the device and fell about 250 feet.

Shortly after noon, his wife called the state police in Wurtsboro to report him missing.

Ledinh's car, a 2010 Honda CRV, was found at the Hawk's nest around 1:45 p.m. and he was located a short time after that.

Rescuers could not reach him by foot because of the steep terrain, so the Orange County Technical Rescue Team lowered themselves to him and determined that he was dead.

Ledinh's body was then lowered to a rescue boat in the Delaware River where he was taken to the Orange County Medical Examiner's Office.

State police were assisted at the scene by Sparrow Bush Fire Department, Port Jervis Fire Department and Ambulance, Matamoras Fire Department, Huguenot Fire Department, Lumberland Fire Department, Orange County Technical Rescue Team, Port Jervis EMS, Mobil Life, West Point, Newburgh Rope Team, Deerpark Police Department and State Medivac.