Union City Man Died At Sandy Hook This Week

HIGHLANDS, NJ — The man who died earlier this week at Gateway National Recreation Area/Sandy Hook has been identified as Andrei Chichkine, 61, of Union City, according to Middletown police.

Police say the cause of his death remains under investigation, but it does not appear to be criminal in nature.

Park rangers found Chichkine lying in the sand near the water's edge at 2:37 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, at F Beach on Sandy Hook. He was unresponsive and not breathing, police said.

The Middlesex County Medical Examiner is examining his body to learn the exact cause of death. If anyone saw Chichkine that afternoon, or witnessed anything, police ask them to please call the Middletown Twp. Police Detective Bureau at (732) 615-2120.

This is the second person to die at Sandy Hook in the past week: As Patch reported, a woman from North Bergen drowned after she went for a midnight swim in Sandy Hook Bay late Saturday night, July 20.

The body of Melissa Fries, 37, of North Bergen was found at 5:50 a.m. Sunday after it washed up on a private beach in the area of Valley Street in Highlands. Friends reported her missing sometime after 11 p.m. Saturday night after she went swimming with a group of people to escape the heat wave. Her death was ruled as an accidental drowning, Highlands police said.

Initial Patch report on his death: Man Found Dead At Sandy Hook Wednesday

Related: Woman Found Dead After Apparent Drowning At Sandy Hook