Police Divers Resume Search for Missing Tug Crew Member

Police divers will be returning to the Hudson River this morning to resume the search for a tugboat crew member missing since Saturday’s accident at the Tappan Zee Bridge, Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced.

The tugboat crashed into a construction barge that was part of the New NY Bridge project and sank within minutes early Saturday morning. One member of its crew, Paul Amon, 63, of Bayville, NY, was pulled from the water and the body of Timothy Conklin, 29, of Westbury, NJ was recovered from the tug. Both died from drowning, according to the Westchester County Medical Examiner.

The body of Harry Hernandez, 56 of Staten Island, is believed to have been located.

The decision to redeploy police divers from the New York State Police is based on information provided last evening by commercial divers who were assessing the sunken vessel to develop a salvage plan. Astorino said all efforts are being made to locate the missing crewman as soon as possible.

The police had stopped diving Monday while marine and aerial units continued to search the Hudson for Hernandez.

Westchester County police detectives are continuing to investigate the collision. The salvage plan for the tug, which is under the construction barge, must be approved by the Coast Guard.