Emergency Responders Rescue Man From Hudson River In Hoboken

Egged on by a dare from his friends, an East Rutherford man jumped into the Hudson River in Hoboken on Sunday night, but became trapped and needed rescue.

Damien Bziukiewicz, 22, jumped off the southern end of Pier A, where he started panicking, prompting the rescue effort, reported NJ.com.

Agencies including the Hoboken Police Department, the New York Police Department’s Harbor Unit, New York Police Department’s Aviation Unit and a Hoboken fire boat responded to the scene.

Eventually, the fire department managed to lower a ladder over the side of the pier and Bziukiewicz scrambled up to safety, Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante stated.

Ferrante posted the following compliment to rescue workers on his Twitter page on Sunday:

“Great job HPD under Sgt. Sellick, HFD and NYPD Harbor Patrol and Aviation Units.”

Bziukiewicz was charged with violating a city ordinance that bans swimming in waters abutting public parks, the report stated.

Sunday’s rescue hasn’t been the only recent near-drowning at a Hoboken pier. In April, emergency responders pulled an allegedly intoxicated man from the waters around Pier C. [See related Patch article]