EGREMONT, Mass. — First responders are unable to recover the body of a New York state man who fell at Bash Bish Falls on Friday night despite what authorities described as "heroic efforts."

 

Aiden Campion-Pratt, 21, of Ghent, apparently slipped off a rock and fell into the falls about 7:30 Friday night. Rescuers began searching for his body Friday evening and located him about 12:30 Sunday afternoon.

 

After 24 hours of effort, rescue personnel on the scene located the body by means of an underwater camera, but eventually came to the reluctant decision that because of the location retrieval would not be possible.

 

"Obviously everyone involved is heartsick in the ultimate outcome," Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless said. "These were great efforts, under difficult and dangerous conditions, that should be recognized, and I want to extend my personal thanks to the many agencies that worked together tirelessly. Special thanks goes to the Western Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation personnel, the office of Columbia (N.Y.) County Sheriff David Bartlett and Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Bowler for their leadership and determined efforts. 

 

"So many agencies came together to work to one end that unfortunately could not happen."

 

Those involved in the search and rescue effort also included members of state police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office, the Pittsfield Fire Department, the Egremont Fire Department, the Southern Berkshire

Ambulance squad, state troopers assigned to the Lee barracks, the New York State Police, the Copake (N.Y.) Fire Department, the Columbia and Berkshire counties fire coordinators, and Fastracs Excavating of Red Hook, N.Y.