A Massachusetts man was rescued Sunday afternoon after his canoe capsized on the Saco River in an area known locally as Walker’s Rips.
Fryeburg Police Chief Joshua Potvin said in a news release that the 55-year-old man, who lives in Rockland, Massachusetts, suffered head and knee injuries and was transported by ambulance to Bridgton Hospital. The victim, whose name was not released, is in stable condition, Potvin said.
Witnesses told police that the man was paddling his canoe when it tipped over in an area of the Saco River known for its whitewater rapids and swift currents. The man went under the water, hitting his head and knee on rocks before other canoeists were able to pull him to shore.
A Fryeburg police patrol boat was on the Saco River, which is typically filled with canoeists and campers at this time of year, and responded within minutes. Fryeburg’s rescue department also launched its rescue boat. Emergency responders carried the man about 150 yards to a waiting ambulance.
“The canoeist had his life jacket in the boat but was not wearing it at the time it capsized,” Potvin said. “Walker’s Rips is a part of the river we patrol regularly by boat. This section is known for its rapids and capsizing inexperienced canoers.”
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