Woman dies trying to rescue kids who went into river; search continues for boy

A mom died after rescuing one youngster and making an attempt to avoid wasting one other who went into Massachusetts’ Merrimack River throughout a household fishing journey, in keeping with authorities who had been nonetheless trying to find the lacking youngster Friday morning.

The household — a father, mom and their 4 kids — was on Deer Island in Newburyport when a 6-year-old boy and a 7-year-old lady entered the river, the Newburyport Fireplace Division stated in a launch.  

Their mom went in to retrieve them and was assisted by a close-by fishing vessel. She was in a position to get her daughter on the boat, however “was not in a position to hoist herself up,” hearth officers stated.

She went underwater and “was not in a position to resurface,” in keeping with the discharge.

Massachusetts State Police, together with different native companies, responded to the scene at 7:18 p.m., reporting that a number of folks had been swept into the river. 

Rescue crews positioned the mom and pulled her from the water however she was unresponsive and never respiratory, hearth officers stated.

CPR was administered on her on the scene. She was taken to Anna Jaques Hospital, the place she was later pronounced lifeless. 

Her identify just isn’t being launched pending next-of-kin notification. 

Regardless of discovering the mom, officers couldn’t find her 6-year-old son. He’s the one member of the household not accounted for, hearth officers stated.

The opposite relations had been taken to the hospital, in keeping with authorities. They had been stated to be doing OK.

“The search operation is energetic and ongoing and entails mutual support assets from all through the area,” the Newburyport Fireplace Division stated. 

The boy was believed to be on land when he slipped into the water and was nonetheless within the water as of Thursday night, Newburyport Fireplace Chief Christopher LeClaire stated in a information convention Thursday night time.

He famous kids entered the water throughout “typical Merrimack River circumstances.”

“On the time, it was simply the top of excessive tide. The river may be shifting at a fast tempo,” LeClaire stated. “The realm is understood for fishing and swimming and different recreation. It’s a rocky ledge within the river and it’s fairly closely used particularly at the moment of the 12 months.” 

He defined that point is dire within the vital seek for the kid.

“We’re nonetheless persevering with to go looking in hopes that we’ll get better the 6-year-old. Once more as time goes, it turns into much less and fewer probably and we’ll be in a restoration mode,” LeClaire stated. “However we’ll proceed to place our greatest efforts ahead to see if we will find the kid.”