A Fort Fairfield boy who drowned on Saturday while swimming in the Aroostook River in Fort Fairfield was identified as Jacob Williams, 14.

Williams was swimming with three friends near the confluence of Hockenhull Brook where the incident occurred, according to a release by the Maine Warden Service. When he indicated that he was having trouble swimming, one of his friends tried unsuccessfully to help him while others called 911.

However, Williams went under water and never resurfaced. Game Wardens searched the water and found him in 10 feet of water about 45 minutes after the boy went under. He was brought on shore and life-saving measures were taken, but were not successful.

The Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled the cause of death as an accidental drowning.

The Maine Warden Service reminds people that many bodies of water around Maine are cold, high and dangerous. People in the water should wear life jackets.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.