An all-American rescue: How the NYPD Harbor Unit saved a bald eagle injured in the Hudson River | amNewYork

"Freedom rang for the stranded bird on Tuesday afternoon when four eagle-eyed cops (pun intended) spotted it floating on some ice in the frosty waters. The officers were patrolling the area to check the ice flow when they sensed trouble and immediately made their way to the animal, which was squawking in pain. We used our binoculars, and we realized that it was a bird."

"We put a plan together, and it was crying, yelping, you could see it was in distress. We used our binoculars, and we realized that it was a bird. As we got closer, we realized it was an American Eagle, and at that point, we had to kind of figure out what we're going to do, Officer Michael Russo recalled."

"Pilot Patrick Memi explained that he had to ease the vessel slowly in order not to harm the fowl. He was struggling to stay up, Memi recalled. We had to use a lot of finesse, because it's a jet boat, so it displaces a lot of water. I didn't want to displace the water and knock the bird into the water, because then you have a whole different type of rescue."

NYPD Harbor Unit officers patrolling the Hudson River to check ice flow spotted an injured bald eagle clinging to ice and floating in frigid water. The bird was crying and yelping, and officers identified it as an American eagle using binoculars. Officers formed a rescue plan and approached carefully. Pilot Patrick Memi eased the jet boat slowly, employing finesse to avoid displacing water that could knock the bird into the river. Responders observed blood on the eagle's claws and a likely wing injury preventing flight. The officers executed a measured recovery to remove the eagle from the ice and bring it to safety.

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