ROCKWOOD — The Maine Warden Service is searching for a man who was last seen Sunday working on a carpentry project on Sand Bar Way in Rockwood, in rural Somerset County.

James Russell, 51, of Rockwood was to be picked up by a friend at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, but was not at the work site, according to a release from Deborah Turcotte, spokeswoman for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

“Mr. Russell’s bicycle, which is his primary mode of transportation, was there, but a kayak and the backpack he carries with him were missing,” Turcotte said.

The warden service was notified of the missing man Wednesday morning and initiated a search including boats and a Maine Forest Service helicopter. The search area included the shore of Moosehead Lake in Rockwood, Mt. Kineo and Farm Island.

On Wednesday afternoon, a Rockwood resident on Black Point Road reported that he had found a green kayak and a backpack floating off Murray Road in Rockwood. Friends identified it as Russell’s backpack, Turcotte said.

“It is suspected that Mr. Russell planned to kayak over to Kineo, which he did numerous times last summer,” Turcotte said. “Mr. Russell’s friends checked the grounds and buildings of Kineo on Wednesday while game wardens concentrated on the water. Maine Forest Service personnel flew along the shoreline and hiking trails of Kineo.”

Very strong winds and high waves on Moosehead Lake were hampering search efforts today, Turcotte said. The forest service was going to attempt to fly its helicopter this afternoon.

The Maine Warden Service is asking anyone who may have seen or talked to Russell on Sunday or had seen anyone kayaking Sunday afternoon in the Kineo area to please call its Greenville headquarters at 695-3756.

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