Mount Olive First Responders Reflect On 'Tough' Recovery Of Remains Of Teen Boys

MORRISTOWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Morris County first responders on Thursday shared the details of their search for the two teens who fell through the ice at Budd Lake earlier this week.

The Budd Lake Fire Department was on the ice in about seven minutes Monday night after getting the call, officials said.

"When our rescue team hit the ice, they did hear screams but it only lasted for approximately a minute," Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Maloney told reporters, including WCBS 880's Jim Smith.

Investigators then spent the next two days searching for the remains of Clyde Schimanski and Nicholas Cianciotto, both 15 years old, who fell into the partially frozen-over lake.

Cianciotto's body was pulled from the river on Tuesday. Divers found Schimanski's remains Wednesday afternoon.

Mount Olive Police Chief Mark Spitzer said divers had to contend with rough conditions.

"It was 34 degrees, they measured the temperature, it was 34 degrees. I guess they were in a column of water that's about 10 feet deep," he said.

Divers had to search by hand since there was almost zero visibility underwater, Spitzer said.

Officials said just before the effort was about to be called off Wednesday, divers recovered the body of Schimanski.

"It's tough because to make the call between rescue and recovery is a tough decision," Budd Lake Fire Chief Brad Evans said.

Authorities said the teens fell through the ice on Budd Lake in Mount Olive on Monday night after going fishing.

Both boys were students at Mount Olive High School.

Cianciotto will be buried on Saturday, according to an obituary posted online. Funeral arrangements for Schimanski have not been announced.

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