Troopers from NYSP Liberty responded to a report of two lost kayakers on the Neversink River at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 6. The investigation revealed that two men from Pine Bush, NY set off from Holiday Mountain in the Town of Thompson at noon and hoped to kayak the Neversink River to Cuddebackville in the Town of Deerpark. They encountered problems including overturning numerous times and losing paddles.

Darkness fell and they spent the night on the river unaware of their location. Troopers utilized cell phone data to try to locate the boaters during the hours of darkness and did locate their vehicles.

At daybreak a State Police helicopter from Newburgh was utilized while a command post for the rescue operation was set up at the Cuddebackville Fire Dept. NYS Forest Rangers and local firemen were setting up for the ground search when the helicopter located the two men along the river in the vicinity of Griffin Road in the Town of Forestburgh, approximately four miles north of Oakland Valley Road. NYS Forest Rangers and firemen traversed the woods in ATVs to drive the two men out of the woods. They were unhurt and required no medical attention.