TRUMANSBURG, N.Y.—One person’s body was recovered from the base of Taughannock Falls after drowning in the water Tuesday evening. Another man was rescued by responding emergency crews and taken to the hospital.
State Police identified Leo Nolasco-Cruz, 26, of Syracuse as the person who was found deceased in the water upon arrival of a diving crew Tuesday night after emergency personnel initially responded around 4:30 p.m. The other person, a 19-year-old who was not identified, is in stable condition after being taken by helicopter to Upstate University Hospital for hypothermia and water ingestion.
Trumansburg Fire Department and police said in releases that four men from around Syracuse were in a “No Swimming” area near the Taughannock Falls base, where the water is dozens of feet deep at points. Nolasco-Cruz slipped beneath the surface while swimming, and though the others also struggled with the water they were able to get to dry ground. Nolasco-Cruz never re-emerged from the water.
Along with NYSP and TFD, Trumansburg Ambulance, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office and the Tompkins County Fire Coordinator all responded to the scene. The press release from the Trumansburg Fire Department urged people to remain safe as the weather warms and swimming in the local gorges becomes more popular, despite restrictions and safety issues.