The Maine Warden Service is warning boaters to wear life jackets and swimmers to exercise caution after three recent deaths involving inexperienced swimmers.
The agency has recovered the bodies of two of the swimmers, who went missing on Messalonskee Lake on Monday.
Brandon Breton of Vassalboro, and Joseph Mayo of Rome had been presumed drowned since Monday. Their bodies were located after the warden service used sonar to search an 80-acre area of the lake last night.
The two swimmers went underwater while swimming with friends after a strong gust of wind moved the group's pontoon boat away from when they'd been swimming.
Another recent death occurred in Buxton on Sunday afternoon, when Abiodun Jerry Roland Olubi of South Portland fell and drowned in the Saco River. And on Monday, a 13-year-old girl had to be rescued from the Androscoggin River after falling into a section in Greene, according to the Sun Journal.
"We always encourage all boaters to wear their lifejackets out on the water, particularly this time of year when water temperatures are colder than normal and can impact your ability to swim. And if you’re looking to go swimming know your ability and pick an area that’s at your experience level for swimming," says Mark Latti, spokesman for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.