Their bodies were found beside their capsized rowboat by another fisherman who came to the Muscoot Reservoir around 7 a.m., said Capt. David Atkins of the state police.
The men, Ngan Kong, 48, of Brooklyn; and Ma Weitao, 47, of Staten Island, had gone fishing on the reservoir, in Goldens Bridge about 30 miles north of New York City, on Monday night, Atkins said.
“They did speak to family members about 5 p.m. yesterday to say that they wanted to keep fishing later into the night,” Atkins said.
Muscoot Reservoir snakes for 8 miles through northern Westchester County. It is part of the city’s water supply system and is a popular spot for trout and bass fishing.
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It was not clear if the unsettled weather overnight played a role. There were wind gusts over 20 mph and heavy rain in the area Monday night.
Police searched the reservoir with divers and found no other victims, nor any sign of foul play.
“There’s nothing suspicious in nature, and it was nothing more than an accidental drowning,” Atkins said.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.