August 28, 2013

THREE SURVIVE SCHOODIC LAKE BOATING INCIDENT

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Maine Warden Service

--For Immediate Release--

SCHOODIC LAKE, LAKEVIEW PLANTATION, ME - August 29, 2013: Late yesterday afternoon at approximately 5:00 PM, the Schoodic Lake region experienced a very heavy rain storm with high winds and lightning. During that storm, three people were out boating and their motorboat became filled with water and capsized.

The operator, George Tucker (75 from Medford, Maine) his wife Beverly Tucker (69) and their friend Charles Jenkins (77 also from Medford) were in a 12-foot aluminum boat with a 2.5 horsepower outboard motor. They were at least one mile from any shoreline and approximately two miles north of the Lakeview Boat Landing when they capsized. All three people were able to stay with the boat and they drifted nearly two and one half hours. Fortunately all three were wearing their life jackets.

At 7:25 PM, two bear hunters had pulled over on the Schoodic Lake railroad bed (gravel road) that runs near the shoreline of Schoodic Lake. The bear hunters were Rick Seavey of Sanford, Maine and Mark Aventzen of Pennsylvania. They were changing a flat tire on their truck when they heard the calls for help. The men called 911 and MILO Fire, EMS, police, and Warden Dan Carroll responded. As the boat drifted closer to shore, George and Beverly Tucker chose to swim for shore while Jenkins remained with the boat. Eventually the Tuckers made it to shore. Jenkins was rescued by the Milo Fire Boat while he remained with the overturned watercraft.

George and Beverly Tucker were both taken to Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover and treated for hypothermia. Jenkins was treated and released at the scene. All are doing well at this time. The Maine Warden Service reminds all boaters to wear lifejackets. Had these three people chose not to wear lifejackets, it is likely this incident would have had a tragic ending.

No further information is available at this time.

Please direct media related calls to Corporal John MacDonald by calling: Public Safety Dispatch in Gray at 207-657-3030 Email at: john.macdonald@maine.gov