Elderly Man Rescued After Falling Into Water In Westport: Police

WESTPORT, CT — Police officers used a nearby canoe to rescue an elderly man who fell into the water at Saugatuck Shores Beach in Westport early Tuesday morning.

In a news release, Police Lt. Dave Wolf said officers were called to the beach around 6 a.m. after receiving a report of a missing elderly man. After a brief search of the area, officers spotted the man partially submerged in the water.

Officers knew they needed to rescue the man quickly due to the temperature of the water and were able to locate a resident's canoe nearby, Wolf said. While one officer held the man's head above the water, several others lifted him into the canoe.

After being safely brought to shore, Westport firefighters helped remove the man from the canoe. He was then evaluated by an Emergency Medical Services crew and taken to a hospital for further treatment.

While the man's condition is unknown at this time, any injuries he may have sustained did not appear to be life-threatening, Wolf said.

Chief Foti Koskinas said he was very proud of the officers involved in the rescue.

"There is no doubt that these officers' quick thinking and superior teamwork led to a positive outcome," Koskinas said in a news release.

Koskinas also thanked both the fire department and EMS for their valuable assistance.