Man Dies After Jumping Into New York's East River While Trying To Retrieve Volleyball

A 36-year-old man died after falling into the East River in New York City while retrieving a volleyball.

On Wednesday, just after 6:30 p.m., a guy tumbled over a fence into the water in Domino Park in Brooklyn's Williamsburg area.

Hundreds of first responders scoured the water for at least an hour before finding the victim's body, including NYPD scuba divers and at least five police boats.

A scuba diver eventually found the victim, The New York Post reported. The NYPD's harbor unit assisted in transporting his body to a nearby dock.

He was brought to Brooklyn Hospital and pronounced dead there.

Police have yet to release his identity, per Associated Press.

Witnesses at the scene said the man appeared to be jumping to catch a volleyball thrown by a group of people playing on a nearby grassy area.

They saw the man sprinting and reaching out shortly before colliding with the waist-high barrier leading to the lake.

According to witnesses, he flipped over the barrier and landed head-first in the water.

Those who raced to the barrier claimed they never saw the man again.

Hundreds of people were picnicking on the grassy area at the time, including families with little children.

It was unclear whether the victim was involved in the volleyball match.