Whose boat is this? [Updated Dec 1: Mystery solved, sort of.]
A mystery sailboat has been moored off Croton Point Park for about a month. Who does it belong to and why is it there? Authorities have been alerted, but so far no one is in a rush to do anything.
About a month ago, someone moored their boat in the Hudson off of Croton Point Park and left it there, apparently abandoned. While it drifts a bit with the tides, it does not appear to be going anywhere.
Two stories are circulating about how it happened. In one, the owner tried to sell it, got no takers, and ditched it off of the point. In another, the owner got tired of paying docking fees and left it there, perhaps hoping it would end up destroyed and they could collect the insurance.
About a week ago park rangers finally reported it to the Westchester County Police, who said they would send a marine unit to check it out but apparently have not yet done so. (The county police are not, so far, responding to queries about it.) We talked to the commander of the local Coast Guard auxiliary in Verplanck, who was not aware of the situation but said he might take a trip down the river to check it out.
So the mystery vessel remains a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in… whatever.
The Croton Chronicle will stay on top of this breaking story. If you know anything, contact us or leave a comment.
Update December 1: I’m informed by Matt Hager, Flotilla Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in Verplanck, that the Westchester County Police have investigated the boat. They boarded it, found no dead bodies aboard, and obtained the identification of the owner. He cannot be reached right now, but the police determined that the boat was properly moored and outside shipping channels. So, still no explanation of why it is there, but no foul play or evidence of abandonment at the same time.
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