The body of a New Hampshire man who had been scuba diving was recovered near Nubble Light in York on Tuesday one day after another diver was rescued in the same area.
The man was identified as 67-year-old Walter Fabian of Nashua, New Hampshire, the Maine Marine Patrol said in a news release.
Lifeguards found Fabian unresponsive on the northeast shore of Cape Neddick Nubble, near Nubble Lighthouse, according to the release.
Fabian was diving with a friend when the two became separated after surfacing. Fabian’s friend swam to shore and notified authorities when he couldn’t locate his scuba diving partner.
Maine Marine Patrol Sgt. Matthew Sinclair arrived at the scene around 2 p.m., but first responders had already declared Fabian deceased. The United States Coast Guard and members of the York Police Department also provided assistance. The Coast Guard sent a helicopter from Cape Cod and a vessel from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to help with the search.
Fabian’s body will be transported to Augusta where an autopsy will be performed by the state Medical Examiner’s Office.
The risk of rip currents in the York area has been low this week, according to the National Weather Service’s Surf Forecast, but officers with the Maine Marine Patrol said they observed heavy surf near the area where Fabian’s body was located.
York police told News Center Maine (WCSH/WLBZ-TV) that diving off the shores near Nubble Light have been suspended until the cause of Fabian’s death can be determined. Authorities are not sure whether his death was caused by a medical condition or an equipment malfunction. Police said ocean currents can be strong in that area.
On Monday, a group of people formed a human chain to pull a scuba diver who was in distress and his rescuer, a York Parks and Recreation employee, from the waters off Nubble Light.
Authorities said the 57-year-old diver was suffering from exhaustion and needed assistance in strong ocean currents. The diver, who has not been identified, was treated on the scene by medical personnel.
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