Maine Game Wardens are investigating a recreational boating fatality that occurred on Papoose Pond in Waterford.

At 8:42 AM on Saturday, Maine Game Wardens were dispatched to Papoose Pond in Waterford after being notified of an unresponsive person in the water.

An Oxford County Sheriff Deputy and emergency medical personnel were on scene when game wardens arrived at Papoose Pond, and U. S. Border Patrol arrived soon after. An initial investigation revealed that four men had been out on the pond in three canoes when one of the canoes capsized, throwing the two occupants of the canoe in the water. The other canoes were able to get the men in the water to shore, but one of the men, Pedro Quizhpi, age 50 of Ecuador, was unresponsive, and despite efforts to revive him by CPR, he was deceased when the Oxford Deputy Sheriff arrived.

Witnesses in the other canoes left the scene before Game Wardens and Oxford Sheriff’s Office arrived. Game wardens talked with the other man who had been in the capsized canoe, and he said that the canoe flipped unexpectedly while they were paddling on the pond. He also stated he could not remember what happened after the canoe flipped, but he said the witnesses who were in the other canoe brought the deceased man to shore.

In an effort to locate the men who witnessed the death and who had left the scene, Oxford SO put out a bulletin describing two other vehicles, and to contact Oxford SO or Border Patrol if they are located. One of the vehicles was stopped by Scarborough Police in Scarborough. Game wardens interviewed the occupants and determined the men who witnessed the drowning were not in this particular vehicle but likely in the other vehicle. The other vehicle has not been located.

The Maine Warden Service is investigating the incident as a recreational boating fatality. It is not considered suspicious. The investigation remains open. There were two personal flotation devices in the overturned canoe, but the occupants of the canoe were not wearing them.