Body of Missing 76-year-old Recovered in Upstate New York Lake

A search that spanned several days in the Adirondacks ended in tragedy when the body of a 76-year-old individual was recovered from Lower Saranac Lake.

Officials say the person disappeared Friday evening after leaping into the water from a pontoon boat near Eagle Island and never resurfaced. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) confirmed they received the initial emergency call around 6:10pm.

The police/first responder response was extensive. Six DEC Forest Rangers, four Environmental Conservation Police Officers, the New York State Police (NYSP) dive team, and members of the Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake fire departments all mobilized to assist. Crews worked well into the night before suspending operations at 12:30am on Saturday.

At daybreak, the search resumed. NYSP divers deployed sonar equipment while eight Forest Rangers scoured the shoreline and continued patrols on the water in an effort to locate the missing boater. Despite the coordinated effort, the individual remained unaccounted for throughout Saturday.

The grim discovery came Sunday around 11am when a State Police diver located the body of the 76-year-old in the lake. Authorities confirmed that the body was released to the Franklin County Coroner.

The name of the victim has not been made public pending notification of family.

Body of Missing 76-year-old Recovered in Upstate New York Lake