Missing teen with autism rescued from ocean using thermal cameras, night vision

Missing teen with autism rescued at beach

The NYPD Aviation Unit rescued a missing 14-year-old boy with autism from Jacob Riis Park.

NEW YORK - A missing teen with autism was reunited with his family after a search from the air that required the use of thermal imaging cameras and night vision goggles.

The 14-year-old boy's mother alerted park police inside Jacob Riis State Park that he had disappeared at about 1:10 a.m.

The NYPD Aviation Unit was called in and began canvassing the area. Video of the search showed an image moving about in the ocean.

About10 minutes later, the boy was spotted in the area of Ocean Promenade and Beach 135 Street. He was not injured.

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The NYPD tweeted about the operation:

"Great job by NYPD Aviation, early this morning using night vision goggles & a thermal imaging camera they successfully located a missing 14 year old autistic child. The uninjured boy was found in the water in Riis Park and quickly reunited with his family."