911 Called from Obama's Martha's Vineyard Estate as Tragedy Strikes in the Water Behind It: Report
A man reportedly was found dead Monday after a 911 call was made Sunday from former President Barack Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard estate.
According to the U.K.’s Daily Mail, a 43-year-old man was paddleboarding in Edgartown Great Pond on the Massachusetts island before he submerged Sunday.
The pond is “just yards away from” the former president’s home, the outlet reported.
The man was seen “struggling to stay afloat” before disappearing beneath the water’s surface, the report said.
Multiple witnesses, including another paddleboarder, watched the incident take place.
The Daily Mail updated its report early Monday afternoon ET to say the body of the missing person had been found.
The deceased paddleboarder was not named, though the report said he was a black man.
Rescuers — including those from the Coast Guard, the Edgartown Fire Department and the Dukes County Sheriff’s Department — had been searching for the man since Sunday.
“EPD is assisting multiple agencies searching for a missing adult male paddle boarder in Edgartown Great Pond,” the Edgartown Police Department tweeted late Sunday.
“Please remain away from this area and allow emergency responders to perform their search,” it said.
EPD is assisting multiple agencies searching for a missing adult male paddle boarder in Edgartown Great Pond. Please remain away from this area and allow emergency responders to perform their search.
— Edgartown Police (@edgartownpolice) July 24, 2023
The Daily Mail’s coverage included a dispatcher’s call to local police regarding the incident.
In the clip, the dispatcher called on Edgartown rescue personnel to respond to a “possible drowning.”
Inside Michelle and Barack Obama’s new waterfront home – with its own private beach https://t.co/ouzpYDX3lN pic.twitter.com/5cxA5SEXFw
— Homes & Gardens (@homesandgardens) November 29, 2020
Rescue teams deployed to the large pond brought boats equipped with divers and sonar equipment.
According to the Massachusetts State Police, “marines assets” were deployed to aid in the search as well, the Daily Mail reported.
“After several hours of searching last night, efforts to locate the missing paddle boarder were unsuccessful and the operation was paused to allow dive teams, flight crews, and other responders to re-equip and assess next steps,” the department said of the search, according to the report.
“The search will again include marine assets, such as divers and boat crews deploying side-scan sonar, and aerial support from MSP and USCG helicopter crews,” it said.
“Members of the MSP Underwater Recovery Unit and the Massachusetts Environmental Police are joining the agencies and units listed last night in today’s search operation.”
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