Eastham, Massachusetts couple walking dog along Cape Cod, First Encounter Beach near Bee’s river fall into ice, with wife’s body found as officials now seek to find missing husband. Identity of couple yet to be released.
A Massachusetts woman has died after falling through a frozen river near Cape Cod beach in Eastham while her husband remains missing is now feared dead.
The couple, whose identities were not revealed at the time of their tragedy were walking their dog along First Encounter Beach near Bee’s River when they fell through ice.
Police arrived at First Encounter Beach on Saturday at 9:07am after they received a report of a loose dog that was wet and appeared to be in distress.
Kit & Jerry Boucher, Eastham, Cape Cod couple die falling through icy waters
Brave effort to save life of Eastham, Mass couple
The first officer to arrive heard the screams of a woman in Bee’s River. The officer tried to pull the woman out only to fall through the ice as well.
A second officer tried to get them both out, only to also fall in to frigid water that reached his waist, according to a joint press release from the Eastham Police Department and the Eastham Fire Department.
Responding firefighters were able to get the officers safely back to shore. They were later transported to hospital according to the Cape Cod Times.
At 11:12am, divers found the woman trapped underneath the ice. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
While the dive team had been looking for her, investigators were able to piece together that the woman’s husband was with her and likely fell through the ice along with her prior to rescue arriving at the scene.
The technical team is still looking for the husband, according to the release from the Eastham Police Department.
‘The area is still an active scene, and the public should avoid the area,’ the department said.
Saturday search called off as search for missing Eastham husband to continue Sunday morning
The extensive search, that included multiple divers and an underwater remotely operated vehicle was suspended for the night at about 5 p.m. Additional search measures will continue Sunday morning, according to an updated joint statement, WCVB reported.
‘It is devastating, our thoughts and prayers go out to them,’ said Eastham Police Chief Adam Bohannon. ‘These are two local Eastham residents, many of our community members know them and we’re all thinking of the family tonight.’
The identities of the deceased woman and the missing man are being withheld until their families are notified, police said.
