By Gina Martinez
An Elmhurst man is dead after witnesses said he jumped off a cruise ship in Flushing Bay early Sunday morning, police said.
At about 2:10 a.m. the NYPD Harbor Unit received a distress call that a man, later identified as Vernon Witsell, 56, was in the water off the coast of Rikers Island, police said. He had been onboard the Skyline Princess.
Witnesses reported that Witsell had jumped off the ship, police said. Crew members attempted to rescue him with a life preserver but he refused to grab on, instead grabbing onto the ship’s muffler, burning his hands, police said. Crew members were able to get Witsell back onboard, where he continued to fight, leading security to handcuff him, police said.
When police arrived, they e found Witsell on the cruise ship unconscious and unresponsive, according to police.
EMS arrived and took Witsell to Flushing Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The cause of death has not been determined and investigations were ongoing.
Skyline Princess operates out of the World’s Fair Marina in Flushing.
Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmart
