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Palisades Interstate Parkway police had found a white 2017 Dodge van at the Alpine Lookout near the Rockland County border shortly before 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Detective Sgt. First Class Raymond E. Walter said.
It apparently was parked there on Tuesday, he said.
Inside was a note referencing suicide, the sergeant said.
Police spoke with the son of the 62-year-old driver from Seward, AK, Walter said on Thursday, March 3.
He told them his father -- whose wife died last month -- was supposed to be driving from Florida to Alaska, the sergeant said.
"We don't know why he would end up here," he added.
A bloodhound led searchers to an area of the cliffs where the Fort Lee Police Aviation Team twice sent up a drone with no luck. The Westchester County Police Department Aviation Unit also had a helicopter in the air for about 45 minutes.
"There was nothing visible," Walter said. "You would think with the lack of foliage this time of year it would be."
The East Bergen Rappel Team and Westchester County Police K-9 unit also responded, along with the Closter Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Squad and Fort Lee Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
The recovery effort was temporarily suspended after dark and expanded on Thursday.
It was suspended again after four fruitless hours.
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The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Or text CONNECT to 741-741.You are not alone.
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