A family fishing trip to a Massachusetts river has ended in tragedy with a mother dead and her 6-year-old son missing, authorities said.
The family of six — a mother and father and their four children — were fishing from Deer Island in the Merrimack River when at about 7 p.m. Thursday, two of the children entered the water, Newburyport fire and police officials said in a statement.
The mother entered the water to get the children, and with the help of a good Samaritan boater, rescued a 7-year-old girl, authorities said.
The mother was unable to hoist herself into the boat and went under the water. She was found by rescuers unresponsive and not breathing. After life-saving efforts were performed at the scene, she was taken to Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.
Local, state and federal agencies searched through the night, and about 10 divers with the Massachusetts State Police dive team reentered the water Friday morning with specialized equipment to continue the search for the boy. The Coast Guard suspended the search at 5 p.m. on Friday.
