Sheriff’s Office leading investigation into missing kayaker
Poughkeepsie…The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office reports the investigation into a missing kayaker, which began at approximately 9:50 am on 8/8/15 at the Hudson River near Mills Mansion in the Hamlet of Staatsburg.
On the above date and time the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call about a missing person in the Hudson River. Preliminary investigation has shown that a boyfriend/girlfriend couple went kayaking during the early morning hours, and at some point the kayak capsized and they both went into the water. The two eventually became separated and the female was located and picked up by a passing vessel, however the male is currently unaccounted for and was last seen in the river. The male is identified as Ian Jones (age 32) and the female as Tali Fruchtmann (age 22), both of New York City.
Once the initial responding Deputies confirmed that Mr. Jones may still be in the water, Marine Patrols and Dive Teams from the Sheriff’s Office and other agencies immediately responded to begin searching the river. As of 5:30 pm on 8/8/15 Mr. Jones has not been located, and the search is expected to be suspended sometime tonight. The size of the search area and the conditions on the river have made the search difficult up to this point, and both will be reevaluated tomorrow to determine if the search can continue. In addition to an entire day of the river being searched, the shore near and around where Mr. Jones was last seen was also extensively searched with negative results. The entire area was searched with the assistance of a New York State Police helicopter in addition to numerous officers on foot and in boats. At this time extensive resources have been utilized and all efforts exhausted for today to attempt to locate Mr. Jones, with negative results so far. Ms. Fruchtmann and Mr. Jones were not wearing life preservers at the time they went into the water.
The Sheriff’s Office’s Marine Patrol, Dive Team, Uniformed Patrol, and Detective Bureau have all been involved with the investigation and search for Mr. Jones. The Sheriff’s Office would like to recognize and thank the following agencies for their valuable assistance with the investigation and the search:
New York State Police
Town of Hyde Park Police
Ulster County Sheriff’s Office
New York State Parks Police
Staatsburg Fire Department
Roosevelt Fire Department
Town of Ulster Fire Department
Kingston Fire Department
Northern Dutchess Paramedics
Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response
At this point the incident doesn’t appear to be criminal in nature and no foul play is suspected, however the investigation is continuing and more information may be released as it becomes available. Mr. Jones is described as a white male, approx. 6’3” with a slim build, dark hair, wearing jeans and a denim shirt. Anyone who sees someone matching this description is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office immediately at 845-486-3800, or via the tipline at 845-605-CLUE (2583) or dcsotips@gmail.com.
