Brunswick firefighters on Thursday night rescued a man who became stranded on an island in the Androscoggin River amid raging waters resulting from recent storms.
The man swam to the island near the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge around 8 p.m., holding onto a rope tied from the shore to the island, according to police.
“However, the rope became dislodged once the male was on the island,” police said in a news release. “He was unable to return to shore due to the swift current and high-water level.”
Brunswick firefighters launched a boat and retrieved the man, who was not hurt, police said.
“The Brunswick Police and Fire Departments are reminding people of the dangers associated with moving water,” police said. “This year’s high volume of rainfall has increased those dangers significantly.”
On July 8, a 46-year-old man drowned in Union trying to rescue his daughters after they were swept out by currents in Seven Tree Pond. On July 5, a Florida man died in the Kennebec River in Anson after his airboat sank.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less