Woman Rescued from Hudson River Near Tribeca Pier

Following her rescue Monday morning, July 20, an unidentified woman is transported from Pier 25 to a waiting ambulance. Photo: Carl Glassman/Tribeca Trib

A Fire Department paramedic dived into the Hudson River off Tribeca’s Pier 25, near North Moore Street, to save a woman who was frantically trying to stay afloat in the water.

The paramedic, Niall O’Shaughnessy, and his partner, Moses Nelson, arrived at the pier around 7:25 a.m. Monday morning, July 20, and found the woman holding onto a life ring thrown to her by Parks Enforcement Patrol officers.

“As soon as I got to her I realized how serious it was. She was struggling to hold on to the life ring” O’Shaughnessy said at a press briefing Monday afternoon. “I had to make a quick-second  decision and I decided to jump in and  help her so I took off my belt, my boots. I jumped from the pier which is was about 20 feet up and I swam to her.”  

O’Shaughnessy, 38, said he helped the woman grab the life ring more securely as he tried to calm her down and let her know that “a whole team” would be coming to help her. In the meantime, Nelson directed the responding Fire Department units, including a rescue boat, to where O’Shaughnessy and the woman were floating.

Once safely on the boat, O’Shaughnessy said, “I continued to assess the patient. Thankfully and luckily, it looks like she is doing well.”

The woman, who was not identified, was taken to Bellevue Hospital for observation.

Asked what the water felt like, O’Shaughnessy grinned. “Actually, today the water felt pretty nice to tell you the truth. As soon as I jumped in I thought, ‘Ah, a refreshing change.’”