Decomposed body found floating in polluted Newtown Creek in Queens
Unidentified man discovered near Malt Drive; official cause of death pending as investigators and environmental officials note ongoing contamination in the waterway
A decomposed body of an unidentified man was found floating in Newtown Creek in Long Island City on Thursday morning, New York City police said.
The man was discovered face-down in the creek just off Malt Drive around 8:40 a.m., and responding EMS workers pronounced him dead at the scene, police said. His age and identity were not immediately known. The city medical examiner’s office will determine the official cause and manner of death, authorities added.
Newtown Creek, which forms part of the boundary between Brooklyn and Queens, has long been characterized by heavy industrial use and chronic pollution. The tidal waterway was designated a federal Superfund site in 2010 after decades of oil spills, industrial discharges and chemical contamination, and it remains the focus of an extended cleanup effort overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Officials did not immediately link the discovery to any specific environmental conditions in the creek. Police said the death is under investigation; no arrests were reported and detectives were continuing to process the scene and gather information.
The discovery comes about two months after a popular local DJ, Reda Briki, 52, was found dead aboard a houseboat docked at Railroad and Greenpoint avenues in the Newtown Creek Marina. Authorities said Briki’s cause and manner of death were pending further study.
Environmental advocates and local officials have for years voiced concerns about public safety and the potential health risks posed by the creek’s contamination, particularly for workers involved in remediation and residents along the shoreline. Contaminants historically identified in the waterway and sediments include petroleum products and industrial chemicals, which have complicated cleanup operations and raised questions about long-term exposure risks.
Law enforcement and environmental agencies have protocols for responding to recoveries in contaminated waterways, and agencies typically coordinate when submerged or hazardous materials are present. Police did not provide details on whether environmental or public health teams were called to assist at Thursday’s scene.
Investigators asked anyone with information about the discovery to contact the NYPD. The medical examiner’s determination is expected to provide further details about the identity of the man and the circumstances surrounding his death.
Newtown Creek’s ongoing restoration remains a long-term project involving federal, state and local agencies. Cleanup plans have aimed to address contaminated sediments and reduce further discharges into the East River and adjacent communities, but questions about timeline, cost and the scope of remaining work continue to shape public discussion about the waterway’s future.
