Three unidentified men climbed out of a manhole on the Upper East Side early Thursday morning just yards from a hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to lodge for the United Nations General Assembly, authorities said.
The men emerged from the underground pit around 4:35 a.m. On Park Avenue near East 61st Street, police said. They then split into two separate vehicles and fled north on Park Avenue, according to authorities.
Netanyahu and other visiting dignitaries are slated to stay at the Loews Regency New York, located down the block from where the trio surfaced, sources said. The timing of the incident so close to the leader’s anticipated arrival has raised questions, though no direct connection has been established.
Law enforcement sources described the men as “unidentified” and have not publicly named any suspects. The circumstances of how they accessed the underground infrastructure or what they were doing beneath the street remain under investigation.
Police have not specified whether the vehicles were waiting for the men or how they were able to depart so quickly after emerging from the manhole. The description of the cars has not been released.
The incident occurred in one of Manhattan’s most heavily trafficked corridors, where diplomatic security preparations typically intensify ahead of major UN gatherings. The General Assembly brings scores of world leaders to the area each September, straining local law enforcement resources.
Netanyahu’s expected stay at the Loews Regency places him within the immediate vicinity of where the three men were spotted. The hotel, a fixture of the Upper East Side, has long hosted high-profile political and business figures.
Authorities have not indicated whether the sewer entry was part of any coordinated activity or an isolated event. The underground network beneath that stretch of Park Avenue includes utility tunnels, steam pipes, and other infrastructure that extends for blocks.
Cops and sources said the men’s behavior appeared “shady,” though no further details about their conduct were provided. No arrests have been announced in connection with the early morning sighting.
The question of whether the sewer incident is linked to Netanyahu’s stay remains unanswered, police said. Security protocols for visiting heads of state typically involve advance sweeps and monitoring of surrounding areas, including underground access points.
The UN General Assembly is scheduled to bring world leaders to New York through the coming week.