Two people were pulled unresponsive from Maine bodies of water in the past 48 hours, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
The body of Brian Minott, 61, of New Gloucester, was recovered from Upper Cold Stream Pond, known as the Little Narrows, at around 10 p.m. on Sunday, according to spokesperson Mark Latti.
Minott had been swimming with four others at around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. He had been swimming toward an anchored pontoon boat when he went underwater and never resurfaced, Latti said.
An initial search for Minott was unsuccessful. His body was eventually located in about 30 feet of water by a sonar scanner and a remotely operated vehicle deployed by the Maine Warden Service Dive Team.
His body was transported to the Lamson Funeral Home in Lincoln, and an autopsy will be conducted by the state’s medical examiner.
On Monday afternoon, the body of Scott Newton, 38, of Madison was recovered from the West Branch of the Penobscot River, according to Latti.
Newton had been whitewater rafting with two other people downriver from the Ripogenus Dam in an area known as the Big Eddy in T3 R11 WELS. T3 R11 WELS is located southeast of Baxter State Park.
The three people in the raft, who had been wearing life jackets, were thrown from the craft when it flipped shortly after being launched. The rafters went through the whitewater rapids, and two were able to make it to shore before they saw an unresponsive Newton float by head-down.
A man who had been fishing in the area also saw Newton’s body, and called 911. Newton’s body was pulled from the river at the Big Eddy by several onlookers, Latti said.
Newton’s body was transported to the Lamson Funeral Home in Millinocket, and the state medical examiner will conduct an autopsy.