ROCKLAND, Maine – The Maine Warden Service dive team recovered the body of a missing boater on Chickawaukie Lake in Rockland tonight.
At approximately 10:20 p.m. this evening, Maine Warden Service divers located Timothy Payson, age 59 of Rockland, in approximately 15' deep of water. Payson had gone missing this morning when he went out for a boat ride on the lake.
Earlier today, at approximately 8:00 a.m., a Rockland resident heard a man yelling for help from the water. He ran down over the bank to help him while his wife called 911. When he got to the water, a small Zodiak style boat was in the water doing circles with a dog in it. A man was never actually seen in the boat or in the water. Rockland and Rockport Fire Departments arrived and managed to board the moving boat and turn it off, but could not find the operator of the boat.
The Maine Warden Service dive team started searching at approximately 1:00 p.m. this afternoon, with divers and sonar. Once it became dark, the search continued with sonar equipped watercraft until Payson was found.
The Warden Service was assisted in the search by both the Rockland and Rockport Fire Departments, the Rockland and Rockport Police Departments, Knox County Sherrif's Office and the Thomaston Fire Department.
This release will be updated as new information becomes available.