Daniel Yolinsky, 19, of Hackettstown, New Jersey, drowned in the Delaware River late on the afternoon of Friday, October 5th. Yolinsky was part of a four-person group, which included another adult male and two 17-year-old boys, on an afternoon trip from Hackettstown to the Delaware River. They went wading in the water near Tocks Island on the New Jersey side of the river. Yolinsky and one of the other teens then decided to swim across the river. Yolinsky began to have difficulty swimming when he reached deeper water, about half way across the river. At that point, the river is an estimated 200 yards wide. Yolinsky’s swimming companion, the second adult and a nearby fisherman (unconnected with the group) tried to assist him, but without success, as he floated beyond their reach. Monroe County received a 911 call about two people drowning in the river around 4:30 p.m. Rangers, New Jersey State Park Police and New Jersey State Police immediately responded. At 5:20 p.m., park divers located and recovered Yolinsky’s body. He was found in approximately 12 feet of water about 100 yards downstream from where he had entered the river. He was pronounced dead by the Warren County medical examiner. The 17-year old was rescued and taken to Pocono Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
