New York

‘A Difficult Rescue': Teen Hurt After Falling 35 Feet, Head First Into New York Swimming Hole

What to Know

  • Police in Tuxedo Park, New York, say an 18-year-old woman fell head first about 35 feet to the rocks below at a remote swimming hole
  • After an hour-long effort by friends and local responders Saturday, she was successfully rescued, according to a published report
  • The woman was hospitalized with multiple injuries, some of them serious; Police urge the public to stay away from isolated swimming holes

Visiting an isolated swimming hole may seem like a great idea during the hot summer months, but police in upstate New York are urging the public to stay away from this idea after a young woman nearly died when she fell head first into a swimming hole in a remote area.

According to Tuxedo Park Police, an 18-year-old woman fell head first about 35 feet to the rocks below at a swimming hole.

After an hour-long effort by friends and local responders Saturday, she was successfully rescued from the isolated Ramapo River swimming hole and taken to the hospital, the Daily Voice reports.

"She hit the rocks on the way down and landed face-first in the water," her mother told Daily Voice, adding that about nine peopole were swimming in an unauthorized area known as "The Bubbles" when the mishap occured.

According to the published report, the woman remained in stable condition Monday with broken ribs, a broken collar bones, a neck fracture and several bumps and bruises, broken teeth as well as cuts that required stitches.

In the end, officers had to swim in 20-foot-deep water after finally locating the victim, police say. With the help of the Tuxedo Volunteer Ambulance Corps, The Tuxedo Fire Department, State Police, MTA Police and New Jersey Air Med Helicopter Transport, floating rigs were set up and tied to ropes to retrieve the victim.

Not only was rescuing the woman from the water an ordeal, but transporting her on land proved to be a challenging task for first responders. She had to be carried up cliffsides and through makeshift trails in the woods to railroad right of ways, out to State Route 17 and finally to the Quarry Field to be airlifted to Hackensack University Medical Center.

Police described the rescue as not only "a difficult rescue," but one that was also "taxing to emergency personnel, some of whom had heat difficulties, and incredibly time consuming, where seconds may count for the victim.”

Authorities urge the public to keep safe during the summer months and avoid locations where this type of scenario can occur.

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