Overview
- Video footage beginning May 5 shows groups removing manhole covers and descending into sewer and drainage tunnels in Astoria, Williamsburg and Gravesend, triggering police inquiries.
- The New York City Department of Environmental Protection inspected reported sites and found no structural damage or immediate public-health threat.
- Authorities say there have been no arrests or reported injuries so far and investigators are working to identify the men and determine whether the incidents are linked.
- Officials and safety experts warn the sewers can contain toxic or oxygen-depleted gases, live electrical cables, gas lines, unstable surfaces and fast flooding that make entry and rescue extremely hazardous.
- If identified, participants could face criminal charges for unlawful entry or related offenses, and the city is urging residents not to confront suspects and to report suspicious activity to 911.