N.Y. CVP Law § 4527

§ 4527. Death or other status of missing person. (a) Presumed death.\nA written finding of presumed death, made by any person authorized to\nmake such findings by the federal missing persons act is prima facie\nevidence of the death, and the date, circumstances and place of\ndisappearance. In the case of a merchant seaman, a written finding of\npresumed death, made by the maritime war emergency board or by the war\nshipping administration or the successors or assigns of such board or\nadministration in connection with war risk insurance is prima facie\nevidence of the death, and the date, circumstances and place of\ndisappearance.\n (b) Death, internment, capture and other status. An official written\nreport or record that a person is missing, missing in action, interned\nin a neutral country, or beleaguered, besieged or captured by an enemy,\nor is dead, or is alive, made by an officer or employee of the United\nStates authorized by law of the United States to make it is prima facie\nevidence of such fact.\n