Police, wardens search for possible drowning victim at Range Pond in Poland
POLAND — Police were using boats, drones and scuba divers in an attempt to locate a 51-year-old man who went under water at Range Pond on Thursday afternoon and never came to the surface, officials said.
Police and fire crews were called to Range Pond State Park shortly before 2 p.m. for a report that a man on a paddleboard fell into the water and never surfaced, Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson said.
Some witnesses said it appeared that it was a little girl who fell off the paddleboard and that a man had gone into the water in an attempt to save her and did not resurface.
At about 2:30 p.m., a diver went into the water in an attempt to locate the missing man, Samson said. Parts of the beach were taped off as the rescue attempts continued.
Related
How to safely enjoy the water in Maine as temperatures rise
By 3 p.m., Androscoggin County Sheriff’s deputies were joined by Poland fire-and-rescue crews, along with searchers from the Maine Wardens Service.
Several beachgoers said helicopters were flying over the pond as the efforts went on. Sheriff’s deputies walked along the beach, talking to potential witnesses.
Advertisement
“It’s wild to have an apparent rescue going on with families playing at the shore and enjoying the respite of the cool water on this extreme summer day,” one woman wrote on Facebook.
Related
Friends, family mourn Lewiston teen who died in Androscoggin River
Southern Maine has been hit by a spate of drownings recently, including an 18-year-old who drowned in the Androscoggin River last week and a Biddeford man who drowned at Martin’s Point in Sabattus on Wednesday night**.**
In June, the Maine Warden Service also recovered the body of a Rockland man from Chickawaukie Lake, a 4-year-old from Boston died after a drowning incident in a hotel pool, and a Westbrook woman died while looking for golf balls in a pond.
Officials have upped their efforts in recent weeks to warn Mainers to take extra precautions, especially as water temperatures remain much cooler than the air during the ongoing heat spell. With cold water temperatures, hypothermia becomes a significant risk and can set in within an hour of being in the water, and officials recommend swimmers of all skill levels ease into cold water rather than jumping in.
Everyday water precautions are also critical. The U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan reported that wearing a life jacket when boating cuts the risk of drowning in half.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife advises people to get familiar with the body of water they plan to recreate on by checking a map for depths and hazards, go out with another person, and tell someone on shore their route and expected return time.
Staff Writer Drew Johnson contributed to this story.
This story will be updated.
Copy the Story Link
Tagged: poland maine
Mark LaFlamme is a Sun Journal reporter and weekly columnist. He's been on the nighttime police beat since 1994, which is just grand because he doesn't like getting out of bed before noon. Mark is the. More by Mark LaFlamme
