COLD SPRING – The body
of a man who drowned in the Hudson River off Cold Spring late Tuesday
afternoon was recovered by divers some two hours later.
Putnam County Sheriff Donald Smith identified the victim as Rafael Cubano,
46, of 47 Wesley Avenue in the City of Beacon.
He was with a group of relatives and friends at Little Sandy Beach in
the Hudson Highland State Park when he went swimming. There were no lifeguards
assigned to that area.
According to companions who were swimming with Cubano, he became separated
from the others by the strong river currents, became distressed and went
under before they could reach him.
A witness called 911 on his cell phone and sheriff’s deputies responded
to the scene where river and shoreline searched began.
At 6:47 p.m., members of the Mahopac Falls Fire Department Dive Team recovered
Cubano’s body about 150 feet from shore in a depth of about four
feet of water.
The Putnam County Coroner’s Office pronounced the victim dead and
ordered an autopsy to be performed.
