19yo Briton rescued after floating for 2hrs in Hudson River on plank of wood

A Briton got more than he bargained for when he tried to get a good vantage point to watch a New York sunrise. Nineteen-year-old Armaan Raj Munglani ended up drifting in the Hudson River for more than two hours on a flimsy piece of wood before eventually being rescued, the New York Post reported. The Londoner had intended to head to Battery Park on the opposite side of the river from where he was staying in Jersey City early on Thursday. Instead, he wandered into the Newport Yacht Club and Marina and out on to a makeshift dock. Then a small piece of it broke free - with him on it.

As soon as I got on it, the rope that actually tied it to the dock just came off. So now I am stuck on this piece of wood and I have no idea what I’m going to do.

Mr Munglani

What then followed was an ordeal that left Mr Munglani fearing for his life, so much so that he started writing goodbye messages to his friends and family in a book he had on him. A helpless Mr Munglani floated for more than two hours in the choppy waters on the 8ft piece of wood, remarkably avoiding the large boats travelling through the harbour. Eventually, his phone regained signal, and Mr Munglani called 911. Two fire department rescue boats rushed to his aid and took a grateful Mr Munglani to dry land just before 5am, the FDNY said in a post on Facebook, adding he had travelled around two miles. Captain Louis Guzzo said: “This thing shouldn’t have been on a lake, let alone in the New York Harbour.”

I was as happy as a kid in a candy store. I was screaming and shouting out. I was so happy I think I had tears in my eyes.

Mr Munglani

Hudson River