Three men rescued after falling through the ice on Jamaica Bay off Far Rockaway: FDNY

First responders put their lives at risk to rescue three young men who fell through the ice on Jamaica Bay near Far Rockaway on the evening of Friday, Feb. 6.

The FDNY received a call at 4:15 p.m. reporting multiple people in the water after the ice gave way a few hundred yards off 13-10 Norton Ave. in Bayswater and dispatched firefighters and EMS personnel to the scene. The rescuers were joined by members of the NYPD’s Scuba Team, Aviation Unit and Emergency Service Unit.

The FDNY rushed to the scene, found the men in the water a few hundred yards from shore and launched a rescue operation. Photo courtesy of the FDNY

An FDNY diver and another first responder fell into the icy waters before an NYPD rescue chopper pulled the 22-year-old men from the bay individually, after they were tethered to a hoist and lifted out of the icy water. The third victim was in the water for nearly 40 minutes. All three were conscious and alert, officials said.

An NYPD rescue chopper pulled all three men out of the icy waters individually. They were each conscious and alert. Photo courtesy of the FDNY

EMS transported two of the men to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside, where they were listed in stable condition, while the third man was taken to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway, where he was listed inhttps://x.com/i/status/2019923280799678478 stable condition.

Earlier this evening, members of our Scuba Team, Aviation Unit, Emergency Service Unit, and the @FDNY rescued three individuals from frozen waters in Far Rockaway.

No matter the conditions, our officers are always ready to answer the call. pic.twitter.com/kA42EU2srT
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) February 6, 2026

“This was a bad decision that could have put their lives at risk and the lives of our first responders at risk, and it is a miracle that this didn’t end in tragedy,” Council Member Joann Ariola said. “I’m extremely grateful that there were no fatalities, but people really need to be smarter when it comes to this.”

The chair of the Committee on Fire and Emergency Management added a warning to others.

“The ice may look fun and inviting, but it isn’t a skating rink. It is a thin sheet over freezing cold water, and every year people lose their lives to this kind of thing,” Ariola said. “Unless you have a lot of experience and know exactly what you’re doing, just stay off the ice.”