Three men jumped into the Hudson River Thursday evening in an effort to save a man they didn't know who was "screaming" while in the water, witnesses said.
Cell phone video showed the dramatic rescue attempt off Pier 46 in the West Village, as the trio of Good Samaritans dove in after people nearby said they heard a man in distress in the water. Fire officials said the incident occurred sometime around 8:30 p.m., and police said the first man may have gone into water to retrieve something he dropped.
"He jumped, he was screaming but everyone thought he was having a good time," said witness Mazzia Anouna, who was eating dinner at Hudson River Park when she saw the man leap in. "All of a sudden it got worse and worse, and it sounded like he was panicking."
The three men who dove to try and help were not able to assist the man, and eventually needed help themselves from an FDNY rescue boat. One of the men was checked out by EMS, but none required any medical attention.
The man who initially went in the water was later pulled out by police, and rushed to Lenox Health in Greenwich Village, according to FDNY. Police said he was in cardiac arrest, and later died.
