PRESS RELEASE

On May 25, 2021, New York State Police patrols and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) from the Liberty barracks responded to Kauneonga Lake for a report of a missing boater. The individual missing, later identified as Rikheil Patel, 31 of Kauneonga Lake, NY, was last seen leaving a restaurant alone on his boat on Sunday, May 23, 2021 at approximately 1:05 p.m. His boat was located offshore on May 25, 2021. A search was conducted by the Unmanned Ariel System (Drone), The New York State Police Underwater Recovery Team (URT) and Sullivan County Divers. On May 26, 2021, Patel was located and recovered by New York State Police URT. He was found deceased in 63 feet of water. There was no trauma or evidence of a criminal act.