Newburgh man dies after jumping from cliff into Fishkill Creek
Emergency crews were dispatched at 7:34 p.m. to the area southeast of 508 Fishkill Ave. for a report of a person who had been cliff diving and did not resurface.
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Police say a 34-year-old Newburgh man died after jumping into Fishkill Creek Thursday evening.
Emergency crews were dispatched at 7:34 p.m. to the area southeast of 508 Fishkill Ave. for a report of a person who had been cliff diving and did not resurface.
Authorities said first responders arrived within about six minutes. Witnesses on scene told police that the man, identified as Vincent Javinett, jumped from a cliff into the water but failed to come back up.
Officials said that because of the amount of time Javinett had been submerged, there was no chance of survival.
Emergency crews entered the water in an attempt to recover him, but were initially unable to locate him.
A New York State Police dive team later recovered his body from the creek. Following an investigation, police said video evidence from the scene confirmed the incident was accidental.
Authorities are warning the public that cliff diving at Fishkill Creek is “extremely dangerous and should never be attempted.”
Staff and residents at Lofts at Beacon, a residential community by Fishkill Creek, told News 12 the tragedy was bound to happen.
They said that when they see people — often children — walking with towels and coolers behind the loft complex to the creek, they try to warn them of the danger and inform them of past injuries and deaths,
"Usually kids respond by [saying] 'Yeah, we know.' and 'We're OK,' and 'Thank you,'" loft resident Bob Silverstein
said, "and they do it anyway."
"You warn them as much as you can," loft community employee Aimee Mogan said. "I mean, even though he's an adult, that doesn't make it any better — it's just like there's nothing we can do."
Neighbors and staff floated ideas to give visitors some pause before swimming like signage warning against diving, employing part-time monitors, and a public information campaign.
The city of Beacon maintains the trail by the creek.
News 12 has reached out to several Beacon officials about the neighbors' and loft community staff's concerns. None had responded by late Friday afternoon.
According to past news reports, Thursday evening's death was the third death at the creek since 2013.
