On August 9, 2026, at approximately 2:40 p.m., the New York State Police responded to Kyser Lake in the town of Manheim, Herkimer County, for a reported boating incident involving two fatalities.
The preliminary investigation determined that two boats were docked next to one another when a 78-year-old male entered the water and began experiencing a medical emergency.
The operator of the boat entered the water to assist him, leaving the boat unoccupied. The boat subsequently began to drift away.
A 65-year-old male entered the unoccupied boat and attempted to maneuver it toward the two individuals in the water. The boat was inadvertently operated forward, striking a rock ledge and ejected the 65-year-old male from the vessel. The unoccupied vessel’s propeller subsequently stuck the 65-year-old male.
Both males sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no other injuries reported, and all other individuals involved were accounted for.
The investigation remains ongoing.