“Went Down in 10 to 15 Feet of Water”: Dark Clouds Form Over Swimming World as 88-Year-Old Man Meets With a Tragic Fate

Megunticook Lake in Camden, Maine, is known for its serene beauty and peaceful atmosphere, attracting visitors of all ages. However, the tranquility shattered once again after an octogenarian tragically drowned in the lake this week. This incident eerily echoes similar accidents on the lake in recent years, raising concerns about safety measures and supervision.

The victim in the latest accident on the lake is an 88-year-old man. A resident of Camden Town, he wanted to spend some time on the lake with his wife. It was a lovely day for a swim, and the man wanted to make the most out of it. Unfortunately, despite the picturesque setting and seemingly calm waters, tragedy struck when the man encountered difficulties while swimming.

88-Year-Old Man’s Life Lost While Swimming with Wife

The waters of Megunticook Lake proved to be just as dangerous during the peak season as is evident from this recent drowning incident of the 88-year-old man. The man had entered the water and, within a few moments, was struggling to stay afloat. His frantic wife began calling for help, and the neighbors came to rescue the man. They brought a floating tube and went to where the man was last seen. However, the rescue party did not feel confident to dive into such deep waters to carry the man back to the surface. Instead, the Camden police were notified.

After the police arrived, they launched a joint rescue operation with Camden Fire and EMS, North East Mobile Health Services. By the time they arrived on the scene at Beaucaire Ave. at 3:19 p.m., the man was no more. Chris Farley, the Camden Fire Chief, spoke to Penobscot Bay Pilot and said, “he went down in 10 to 15 feet of water and did not resurface”. Jeremiah Westbrock, a diver working for the Maine State Police, finally recovered his body. The dead body was then sent for a post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death. This tragedy has upended major plans of the town to attract tourists to the lake.

Recent tragedies cast the town’s plans in uncertainty

Camden Town is preparing for its annual bash on Megunticook Lake. The 8th Annual Megunticook Lake Concert is scheduled for August 14. Following this, there is another festival on the calendar for the town. The people depend on the tourism generated by these events to boost the local economy. The Megunticook Watershed Association has issued an open invitation to the lake to watch Soul Sensations and Pat Colwell play live.

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Local authorities are now facing mounting pressure to reassess and strengthen the existing safety protocols to prevent further tragedies from occurring in the future. The pressure is on as the lake will be teeming with kayaks, boats, and paddleboards. There is also a forecast for rain on the day. All of these factors have worried the local authorities, who want to avoid another tragedy.

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