Body Of 1 Missing Rockland Boater Found In Long Island Sound

WESTPORT, CT — Police searching a section of the Long Island Sound for two missing boaters from Rockland County recovered the boat and one body on Monday.

Five people were on the boat when it sank in choppy waters sometime after 9:30 a.m. Sunday. It had been anchored on the south side of Cockenoe Island, police said. One of the five was rescued from a navigational buoy Sunday afternoon, and two more were pulled from the water. The three were transported to Norwalk Hospital for evaluation.

The two who went missing were from Spring Valley and Suffern, according to Police Lt. Eric Woods. He said due to a "significant language barrier," the department had had difficulty in identifying the two missing boaters. "We are working with translators to assist with this investigation."

At 4:30 p.m. Monday, a body was found in the water about three miles northeast of the sunken boat and taken to Bridgeport Harbor. The victim was identified as Juan Gabriel Valle Pineda, 38, of Spring Valley.

The search was suspended at 9 p.m.