MADISON — The body of a 21-year-old Anson man was recovered from the Kennebec River Friday morning after he drowned while swimming the previous night.

Jordan Cummings was fishing with two friends near a public boat launch on Nathan Street and entered the water around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Lt. Kevin Adam of the Maine Warden Service said.

Additional Images

Authorities search the Kennebec River in the Madison/ Anson area Friday morning for the body of 21-year-old Jordan Cummings. Staff photo by Rachel Ohm

Search boats dock on the banks of the Kennebec River at the Madison boat launch on Friday. Authorities recovered the body of Jordan Cummings at 8:55 a.m. Staff photo by Michael G. Seamans

Cummings was trying to reach a rope swing on the opposite shore when he “started to experience difficulty,” Adam said.

Cory Miller, one of Cummings’ friends, tried to save him, but Cummings never resurfaced.

Witnesses called for help, and Anson and Madison firefighters responded to the scene.

“Cory went in the water and made multiple dive attempts to save his friend,” said Anson Fire Chief Jeremy Manzer, one of the first people on the scene Thursday night. “When we got there we had to pull him out of the water to make sure we wouldn’t have a second victim.”

Searches were unsuccessful Thursday night, and the search was suspended until Friday morning.

Adam said the water was about 12 feet deep where Cummings was swimming. His body was recovered by rescue crews at
8:55 a.m. Friday.

Cummings is the son of Dusty Burns and Joel Cummings, a sergeant with the Skowhegan Police Department.

“It’s a sad situation,” said Skowhegan Police Chief Ted Blais, who was at the scene Friday morning. “I’m just at a loss for words. Our department is a pretty tight-knit group and Sgt. Cummings has been part of that for many years. It is something that is going to affect everybody.”

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