NEWARK VALLEY, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – On Friday, March 3rd, Tioga County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Alexander Pond in the Town of Newark Valley on reports that two men had fallen through the ice while ice fishing.

One of the men was able to pull himself from the water and made repeated attempts to rescue the other man, 59-year-old Norman O’Neil of Endwell.

The attempts were unsuccessful.

First responders arrived on the scene and saw O’Neil approximately 150 feet from shore. They attempted a water rescue and extricated an unresponsive O’Neil from the pond.

They began CPR immediately but were unable to resuscitate him. He died at the scene.

The other man was transported to Wilson Hospital and released after treatment.

Following an investigation, O’Neil’s cause of death was determined to be accidental drowning.