Crews searched Ponkapoag Pond in Canton into Sunday, Oct. 25, after a man was reported missing and his kayak was found overturned the previous afternoon.
Massachusetts State Police received the report around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Witnesses said the man had been kayaking without a life jacket and was last seen about 200 yards from shore, according to NBC Boston. His kayak was later discovered overturned and unattended.
Police and firefighters from Canton, Randolph and Milton responded, along with the State Police Marine Unit and Dive Team. An aerial search did not locate the man.
Canton Firefighters IAFF Local 1580 reported that crews deployed a boat at Fisherman’s Beach after the kayak was discovered. In a 9:01 p.m. update Saturday, the union said no victim had been found, divers were out of the water and responding units were leaving.
That update did not establish that the missing kayaker had been accounted for. State Police told Boston.com that a search was underway Sunday afternoon.
The reports reviewed did not identify the man or establish the search’s eventual outcome.
Ponkapoag Pond covers 216 acres in Canton and Randolph within the Blue Hills Reservation, according to MassWildlife.
Massachusetts requires canoeists and kayakers to wear life jackets from Sept. 15 through May 15. State officials warn that cold water can impair a person’s ability to swim or stay afloat after a capsizing. State safety guidance
