A woman’s body was discovered in the Hudson River near Lower Manhattan, New York, on Wednesday evening, July 16, 2025. Authorities are investigating whether she is the same individual who reportedly entered the waterway a day prior. Despite rescue efforts by two bystanders, the woman drowned on Tuesday.
The unidentified woman was located around 7:50 p.m. Wednesday near Canal and West streets on the lower West Side. The New York Police Department Harbor Unit responded and retrieved her body, with Emergency Medical Services confirming her death at the scene.
Investigators suspect the body could belong to the woman seen entering the Hudson River on Tuesday morning around 10 a.m. from Pier 34 at Hudson River Park in Manhattan, New York. Witnesses described her as being between 30 and 40 years old.
Eyewitnesses reported that the woman seemed distressed before entering the water. “She was screaming at everyone that was walking by, saying, ‘You’re all demons trying to get me,'” an anonymous witness told the Tribeca Tribune. The witness noted that she submerged and did not reappear.
Two men attempted to rescue the woman by diving into the Hudson River. Unfortunately, they were unable to reach her as she had swum too far out. NYPD and the Fire Department of New York divers responded to reports of three people in the water near Watts and West streets.
First responders successfully rescued the two men using drop ladders, transporting them to a nearby hospital where they were treated and released in stable condition. Neither was injured.
The woman was observed swimming for several yards before disappearing. Despite an intensive search by the NYPD Harbor Unit and FDNY divers, she was not found during the initial rescue operation on Tuesday.
Reports suggest the woman had removed her clothing before entering the water. Witnesses saw her disrobe and enter the Hudson River from the pier near Canal Street in the Tribeca area of Lower Manhattan, New York.
Pier 34, the incident’s location, is a noted waterfront area in Hudson River Park. It features narrow walkways known as “finger piers” and is frequented by pedestrians, joggers, and fishermen, with a ventilation shaft for the Holland Tunnel at its end.
The search for the woman extended into Wednesday, with Harbor Unit officers and FDNY personnel canvassing the area using boats and underwater equipment. Emergency vehicles were observed along the West Side Highway near the pier during the search.
FDNY Assistant Chief Kevin Brennan commented on the area’s water conditions. “It’s dangerous water, the river here,” Brennan told the Gothamist. “Surely, you don’t want to jump in.”
This incident marks the second water-related fatality in the vicinity within a week. A man had jumped into the Hudson River near Pier 40 the previous Thursday, July 10. His body was discovered on Sunday, July 13. The Harbor Unit retrieved his body, and EMS workers pronounced him dead. His identity remains pending.
On Wednesday, July 16, an unrelated case involved the recovery of a man’s body from waters off Staten Island, New York, near Howland Hook Marine Terminal. The Port Authority removed the body and is working on identification.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City will determine the cause of death for the woman found in the Hudson River. Police have not disclosed her identity, and the investigation into the Tuesday incident and Wednesday’s discovery remains active.
The NYPD urges anyone with information on either incident to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visit crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, download the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or text 274637 (CRIMES) and enter TIP577. The investigation continues as authorities work to understand the events of both days.
