2 Dead After Boat Capsizes On Westchester Reservoir
LEWISBORO, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Police were investigating Tuesday after two men were found dead near a capsized boat at a popular fishing spot in Westchester County.
CBS2's Aundrea Cline-Thomas was at Muscoot Reservoir, where there was an active multi-agency investigation underway.
The bodies were found after a fisherman noticed a boat had capsized just after 7 a.m.
The victims were identified as Ngan We Kong, 48, of Brooklyn and Weitao Ma, 47, of Staten Island. Police said they arrived at the reservoir at around 5 p.m. on Monday and had called family members to say they planned to fish into the night. They had a permit and were using a 12-to-15-foot aluminum row boat.
Police said the victims were wearing life vests, and their preliminary cause of death appears to be related to drowning and hypothermia.
A police helicopter surveyed the reservoir from the air. On the ground, ATVs were used on Old Bedford Road to transport first responders to the scene.
"The heavy rain that we had over the last 24 hours, that's unknown if that is a determining factor at this point. That is still under investigation," State Police Capt. David Atkins said, when asked what could have caused the boat to capsize.
Neighbors told CBS2's Cline-Thomas the reservoir is a popular fishing destination all year round.
"It's not uncommon to have people out there starting at five, six in the morning," said Steve Rogers, who lives near the reservoir.
Fisherman Ben Tang arrived Monday as he does most days, and said he was alarmed to hear what happened.
"It's terrible because it's a nice place to fish. Nobody would think of this," Tang said.
The incident appears to be accidental in nature, according to state police.
