Divers stop search for third tugboat crash victim

NEW YORK -- Police divers late Sunday stopped searching inside a sunken tugboat for the body of a third crew member who went missing after the boat crashed into a barge on the Hudson River north of New York City.

"It has moved from a rescue-and-recovery operation to a salvage operation," said Westchester County Police spokesman Kieran O'Leary, who added county police helicopter and marine unit boats will resume searching the river surface today on the remote chance the body of Harry Hernandez, 56, of Staten Island, New York, was thrown from the boat.

O'Leary said police dive operations ceased permanently because divers were not able to access a section of the tugboat where they believe his body is located because of severe damage.

The 90-foot tugboat named Specialist hit a barge early Saturday morning near where the new Tappan Zee Bridge, which connects two counties north of New York City, is being built.

The tugboat sank, spilling about 5,000 gallons of fuel into the water.

Earlier, divers recovered the body of Timothy Conklin, 29, of Westbury, Long Island, New York. His body was brought back to shore after divers found him inside the tugboat about 11 a.m. Sunday.

The body of Paul Amon, 62, of Bayville, New Jersey, was pulled from the water Saturday.

Authorities said three tugboats were pushing a barge from Albany to Jersey City, New Jersey, when one of the three -- situated on the right as it headed south -- hit a stationary barge that was part of the Tappan Zee Bridge construction project.

A tugboat on the left side of the barge that was being pushed, as well as one that was pushing the barge from the rear, were not involved in the accident.

But there were reports of radio transmissions from the tug that crashed saying, according to Cuomo, "We are too close. We have to move left."

But apparently it was too late, the governor said.