Dramatic drone footage shared by NYPD Frozen Rescue captures a tense, multi-agency operation in Jamaica Bay, where three people were pulled from the frozen waters after the ice gave way beneath them, according to police.
In the aerial images, jagged sheets of ice surround a dark, open channel of water as rescuers carefully inch across the slick surface—one appearing to lie low and extend rescue equipment toward the break, while another steadies near the edge of the opening. The visuals underscore just how quickly a winter outing can turn dangerous when ice conditions change.
A Coordinated Rescue on the Ice
Police say the rescue involved the NYPD Scuba Team, Aviation Unit, and Emergency Service Unit, working in partnership with the FDNY. The drone perspective shows responders spreading out around the break in the ice, keeping distance from unstable areas while moving in with deliberate, measured steps—an approach designed to prevent additional collapses and protect both victims and rescuers.
All three individuals were transported to local hospitals, NYPD Frozen Rescue reported. No additional information about their identities or conditions was released.
A Warning for Long Islanders During the Cold Snap
While the rescue unfolded in Jamaica Bay, the danger hits close to home for Long Islanders, especially during periods of sustained cold when ponds, lakes, canals, and bays can appear deceptively “walkable.” Ice thickness can vary dramatically within a few feet due to currents, tides, runoff, and shifting temperatures—particularly in coastal areas and anywhere water is moving underneath.
Ice Safety Reminders
If you’re near frozen waterways this winter, safety officials commonly recommend these precautions:
-
Avoid walking onto ice unless it’s been tested and deemed safe by local authorities.
-
Stay off tidal or moving water (bays, inlets, rivers, channels), where ice can be unpredictable.
-
If someone falls through, call 911 immediately—don’t rush onto the ice.
-
Use a throw item (rope, scarf, branch) and keep low to distribute weight.
-
If you fall in: turn toward the direction you came from, kick your legs, pull yourself onto the ice, then roll away from the hole before standing.
As the drone footage makes clear, rescues on unstable ice are intensely risky—even for trained teams with specialized equipment. The safest rescue is the one that never has to happen.
