By Angeljean Chiaramida
Staff writer
—
SALISBURY — Despite immediate intervention by Good Samaritans, the Merrimack River claimed its second life in as many days yesterday after a Lynnfield boater fell into the river while apparently tying to tie up at Cove Marina.
As crews continued their search for a missing Lynn woman at the mouth of the river yesterday, Salisbury responders were called to nearby Bridge Marina about 1:30 p.m. for a report of a man in cardiac arrest after an apparent drowning.
Salisbury police and fire, the harbormaster, Coast Guard and American Medical Response personnel joined rescuers Richard Twomey and Ed Jackson's efforts to revive the victim.
Emergency responders raced the gurney carrying the unconscious man up the floating docks at Bridge Marina and up the stairs to a waiting ambulance, but the 66-year-old victim had no pulse.
Bystanders told Salisbury Lt. Kevin Sullivan that the victim fell into the water by his boat near a Cove Marina dock while he was trying to tie it up, they believe. He was conscious when he entered the water and was immediately heard yelling for help, Sullivan said.
Twomey and Jackson, both of whom work for Newburyport Marina, said they were on a boat motoring west on the Merrimack River when they noticed a person in the water.
"I looked over and saw a guy in the water calling for help," Twomey said. "He was only about 20 feet away; I don't think it took us more than 40 seconds to reach him. But, just as we got to him, he went under. I grabbed him and pulled him up, and the (outgoing) current took us right over to the Bridge Marina dock. I don't think he was under for 30 seconds."
Twomey and Jackson took immediately action.
"Ed cleared his airway, and we started (CPR) right away," Twomey said. "We got some water out of him. He seemed to revive for a split second, but then he turned blue.
"The river current was really ripping, pulling him down, but I didn't think he was under long enough to drown. But when we pulled him out, he was unconscious. Maybe he may have had a heart attack."
Salisbury officer Steven Sforza said that when he arrived, Twomey and Jackson were already administering CPR. Sforza also performed CPR, but the victim never responded, he said.
"We were able to get some water out (of his lungs), but he never revived," Sforza said. "I think he took on a lot of water."
Yesterday afternoon, police were not releasing the name of the victim pending notification of the family, identifying him only as a 66-year-old white male from Lynnfield.
Police Chief David L'Esperance said although foul play is not suspected, the case is being turned over to the State Police unit at the attorney general's office for further investigation.
