Two men were killed when their rowboat capsized in the Muscoot Reservoir in Goldens Bridge.
State police say a fisherman made the grisly discovery on New Year's Day. The victims have been identified as Ngan Kong, of Brooklyn, and Ma Weitau, of Staten Island.
Investigators say the men had been out fishing Monday afternoon. They called family in the evening to say they were staying out longer, but never made it home.
"It was just a pure accident, tragedy. Going into the elements last night with the rain and darkness increased the risk," says New York State Police Capt. David Atkins.
Police say the men's boat was recovered about 150 yard offshore. They had permits to be on the water and were wearing life jackets, but the conditions were apparently too challenging to make it out of the water.
"At this time, 38 degrees, we're confident within minutes you're heading into hypothermia," Capt. Atkins says. "It appears they were trying to get to the shoreline and couldn't make it."
The exact cause of the incident remains under investigation.