Crews Search For Swimmer Missing Near The George Washington Bridge
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The search for a swimmer missing in the Hudson River has been called off Friday night.
That man has still not been found.
He was taking part in a long distance swim event, but disappeared around the George Washington Bridge.
The search began around 3 p.m. Friday afternoon.
Chopper 2 was overhead as several NYPD search boats were launched into the water.
The Coast Guard says the swimmer, a 67-year-old man, was part of a long distance competition, known as the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim.
Video captured by a bystander, showed one of the athletes mid-swim - a kayaker is there as a spotter.
Coast Guard officials say one spotter reported seeing a swimmer go under the water and didn't resurface.
The week-long competition began Saturday at the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Catskill, New York. Each day competitors swim as many as 19 miles from bridge to bridge.
Friday's event began at the new Tappan Zee Bridge and the finish line was the George Washington.
The final day was scheduled to take athletes to the Verrazzano Bridge however, in a statement, New York Open Water says it "can confirm that all swimmer safety protocols were in place" and the final event for Saturday has been canceled.
Police and New York Open Water have not released the missing man's name or where he is from. People from all over the world participate in this event.
