Passaic Adds Water Drone After Boys Drown

City officials are expanding river rescue capabilities following the July 29 drownings of two 10-year-old boys near Dundee Island.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Emergency Response

Passaic Adds Water Drone After Boys Drown

Passaic officials advanced plans to implement new safety measures along the Passaic River after two 10-year-old boys, Michael Klenk and Milian Dula, drowned near Dundee Island on July 29. The municipality acquired a water drone that can be launched from dry land in under one minute.

Why it matters

The city has recorded more than seven water-related incidents since 2016, and the drownings prompted a multi-agency response aimed at faster rescue of people in distress in the river. Local residents near the Passaic River face continued exposure to these risks as the new measures are put in place.

Passaic has recorded more than seven water-related incidents since 2016, and the municipality now has a water drone that launches in under one minute from dry land. The source does not indicate whether statewide rescue buoys proposed in 2020, which would have covered roughly 193 bridges, will be adopted.

The players

Paul Sarlo

Paul Sarlo is a New Jersey state senator who received a letter from Councilwoman Lora requesting assistance with river safety measures.

Nellie Pou

Nellie Pou is a New Jersey assemblywoman who received a letter from Councilwoman Lora requesting assistance with river safety measures.

The details

First responders gathered for a multi-agency training session at Hughes Lake in Third Ward Veterans Memorial Park, where the water drone can be directed toward a person in distress while Fire Department water rescue crews and boats are deployed. Passaic also placed rescue discs in every police vehicle, and Councilwoman Lora wrote to Sen. Paul Sarlo and Rep. Nellie Pou in September on behalf of the Passaic River Safety Task Force.

2016: Passaic begins recording water-related incidents, now more than seven.
2020: Lora proposes statewide rescue buoys at bridges and waterways.
July 29, 2026: Two 10-year-old boys drown near Dundee Island.
August 2026: Lora describes the statewide rescue buoy proposal to News 12.
September 2026: Lora writes letters to Sarlo and Pou requesting assistance.

Seasonal Patterns

The July 29 drownings follow the 2020 plunge death at the Market Street Bridge that the mayor cited, placing them within a recurring pattern of water incidents in Passaic. Officials have linked the current response to the 2020 statewide rescue buoy proposal, which was not adopted.

Residents near the Passaic River should avoid entering the water near boat ramps and bridges, where the recent drownings occurred. Parents should keep children away from river banks unless supervised, given the more than seven water-related incidents recorded in the city since 2016.

The takeaway

Water safety near Passaic's river is a continuing concern rather than a one-time event. Staying out of fast or unfamiliar water and supervising children near bridges and boat ramps are practical steps readers can take now.