UPDATE, 2:55 p.m.: A second body has been exhumed from the Hudson River as of Sunday afternoon. It is believed to be the body of Mark Lennon, which was discovered by someone on a recreational water vehicle who called 911. Lennon and Lindsey Stewart were thrown into the Hudson after the boat they were travelling on collided into an anchored barge. Stewart's body has already been found.
Lindsey Stewart and Brian Bond had been friends their entire lives until their relationship turned romantic more than three years ago. They were to be wed two weeks after they boarded a boat for a nine-mile ride from Piermont to Terrytown in New York after dining together with the friends who would accompany them aboard. Sometime during their Friday-night ride, the Stingray powerboat collided with a barge anchored in the Hudson River near the Tappan Zee Bridge at a construction site 25 miles south of Manhattan, CNN reported. Stewart was thrown from the boat as was the couple's would-be bestman, Mark Lennon. Despite serious injuries, Bond managed to call 911 at approximately 10:41 p.m. Four others aboard were injured.
Bond is currently listed in fair condition, according to a spokesperson at Westchester Medical Center. The boat operator, Jojo K. John, was arrested and charged Saturday with felony count of vehicular manslaughter and three felony counts of second-degree vehicular assault. Authorities said there's reason to suspect alcohol was a factor in the crash based on blood samples taken and witness accounts, Rockland County Undersheriff Robert Van Cura told reporters. John is not the registered owner of the boat, which is believed to have multiple owners.
A few hours after the crash, a body believed to be Stewart's was found. As of Saturday, the search for Lennon remained unsuccessful. Searches were to resume Sunday morning, but police gave little hope of his survival.
"We're always hopeful, but obviously, at this hour, it's less and less likely that this would be a rescue as opposed to a recovery," Van Cura said.
An investigation is underway regarding other factors in the crash. Police speculate that visibility may have been a factor in the collision. Though the night was clear, it is possible that the barge was not properly lit.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.