A 46-year-old father drowned in a pond while trying to rescue his 12- and 13-year-old daughters, Maine officials said. His son, who also jumped in the water, saved his sisters.
Henry Brooks was with his daughters and 27-year-old son at Seven Tree Pond in Union, Maine, Saturday when one of his daughters fell into the deep water where the river enters the pond, the Maine Warden Service said, The Associated Press reported.
The other daughter, who was trying to rescue her sister, also fell into the deep water and they were both swept out to deeper areas of the pond, the warden service said. Brooks and his son, who wore a life jacket, jumped into the water after them, the AP reported.
The warden service said the son grabbed his sisters and brought them back to safety.
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Father’s body found 50 feet from shore
After the son swam back to a nearby dock, he couldn’t find his father, the warden service said.
Game wardens, fire and rescue crews and the local sheriff’s office were called to the scene and searched the area by boat and foot but were unable to find Brooks, the AP reported.
At around 7:30 p.m. local time, three warden service divers found Brooks’ body about 50 feet from shore. The children were transported to PenBay Medical Center in Rockport where they were observed overnight, the warden service said.
Contributing: The Associated Press