Landscaper Identified as Victim in Wellesley Pond Drowning

WELLESLEY, MA – Police in Wellesley identified the victim in a drowning at Morses Pond as a 35-year-old man working for a private landscaping company on College Road.

According to a statement released by police Tuesday evening, the landscaper took a canoe out on the pond during his work break -- he was not wearing a life jacket, authorities said. A short time later, he fell in, and a co-worker watching from the shoreline called police.

At around 1:17 p.m., first responders arrived on the scene. Lt. Scott Whittemore and Officer Tim Gover, who were the initial responding officers, entered the water. Whittemore jumped in, and Gover assisted in a kayak until the Wellesley Fire Department arrived to assume rescue efforts, according to police.

Emergency crews in Wellesley were assisted by dive teams from Cambridge and Natick, the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing, Massachusetts Environmental Police and the Natick and Needham police departments.

About three hours after receiving the call, the man was pulled from the water and pronounced dead. He was found in approximately 40 to 50 feet offshore in about 15 feet of water, police said.

The incident is under investigation, though authorities do not suspect foul play at this time.

Image via Wellesley Police Department