New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers, typically respond to lost or injured hikers and hunters, but just before Christmas they found themselves responding to the retrieval of two bodies from the backcountry in Upstate New York.
On Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at about 5 pm, Forest Ranger Lieutenant Alexander Virkler, the Zone Supervisor for DEC’s Region 7, received a call from Owego Police seeking Ranger assistance in the search for a suicidal subject who had jumped into the Susquehanna River two days earlier.
The following morning, Forest Rangers launched an air boat from Hickories Park boat launch and met a New York State Police (NYSP) airboat near the Millenium Bridge, in the town of Owego, Tioga County, where the subject was last seen. At about 11:55 am, the NYSP airboat crew found the 44-year-old subject deceased on the north side of the river. The subject was turned over to Owego Police.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance, help is available. 988 is a free 24-hour hotline to call or text anywhere in New York. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.
Two days later, on Monday, December 22, 2023 at about 1:15 pm, Forest Ranger John Rusher IV overheard a 911 call for a hiker who had fallen approximately 80 feet at Minnewaska State Park in the town of Rochester, Ulster County.
The 39-year-old from Singapore was severely injured, but conscious when State Parks staff reached her. Ranger Rusher was joined by DEC Region 3, Zone Supervisor Lieutenant Kevin Slade and three additional Forest Rangers.
Due to the severity of the injuries and complexity of the terrain, Rangers requested a New York State Police (NYSP) helicopter for a hoist mission. While moving the hiker to the extraction point, her vitals crashed, and State Parks staff began CPR.
At 3:10 pm, the victim was successfully hoisted by Ranger Griggsby Cowart and Pilots Bernardini and Leeder. She was transferred to an ambulance that took her to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
An initial NYSP investigation indicates she and her husband were hiking on Beacon Hill trail and stopped to take pictures at the edge of the cliff when she lost her footing and fell.
Read past Forest Ranger search and rescue reports here.
Photos from above: Ranger airboat during Susquehanna River search; and Minnewaska State Park terrain where Singapore woman’s body was recovered (provided by DEC).
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