Police in Nassau County are investigating after five people were captured on surveillance video opening a manhole and entering an underground sewer system in Wantagh, Long Island.
The incident occurred shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Wantagh Avenue and Jerusalem Avenue, according to police and local reports.
Surveillance footage showed the group working together to lift the heavy manhole cover before descending underground one after another. After entering, they reportedly replaced the cover above them.
Two witnesses who saw the group contacted Nassau County police. Multiple emergency units responded to the area, including officers and members of the Wantagh Fire Department.
Police conducted an extensive search of the underground system but did not locate the five individuals or find anyone remaining inside. Authorities have not disclosed where the group may have exited.
The identities of those involved remain unknown, and investigators have not established why they entered the sewer system. Police said the investigation was continuing.
Residents who viewed the footage expressed concern about both the group’s intentions and the serious dangers associated with entering underground drainage networks.
Sewer and storm-drain systems can contain toxic or potentially deadly gases, unstable surfaces, contaminated water and confined spaces. Sudden rainfall can also cause water levels to rise quickly, leaving anyone inside with little opportunity to escape.
Authorities have stressed that members of the public should never enter manholes, pipes, drains, catch basins or underground outfalls without authorization and appropriate safety equipment.
The Wantagh incident follows several similar and apparently unexplained sightings in the wider New York area. In one recent case, three people wearing headlamps were recorded emerging from a manhole near Penn Station and Madison Square Garden in Manhattan.
Smaller groups have also reportedly been seen entering or leaving underground systems in Brooklyn and Queens during the summer. Authorities have not confirmed whether any of the incidents are connected.
For now, the purpose of the Wantagh group’s underground journey remains a mystery. Investigators are expected to continue reviewing surveillance footage and gathering information from witnesses in an effort to identify those involved.
