Man Brought from Water's Edge Near Rockefeller Park

A man who had climbed over the fence at Rockefeller Park is brought back up by rescuers, who had lowered a ladder to the water's edge. Before they arrived, the man in the white shirt had gone down to help him. Photo: Carl Glassman/Tribeca Trib

A shirtless man climbed over the railing on the north edge of Rockefeller Park and onto rocks alongside the Hudson River Tuesday night, leading to a heavy rescue response by police and firefighters.

No sooner had the man been spotted and calls made to 911, an unidentified Good Samaritan jumped over the ledge and could be seen sitting on the rocks with the man, who appeared to stagger when he attempted to stand up. Police arrived within minutes and lowered a ladder to the sloping river’s edge. With dozens of police and firefighters as well as divers standing by at the railing, several officers descended to the rocks and brought the man back to the esplanade.

The unidentified man was taken to Bellevue Hospital for observation, according to a Fire Department spokesman.

The incident occurred just one week after a man, who was reported to have jumped in the Hudson near Battery Park City, was brought to the surface by rescuers near Pier 26 and taken to New York Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition and later died, according to police.

—With reporting by Thea Glassman