A Florida man drowned Friday in Damariscotta Lake while attempting to swim after his boat, which had drifted away while he was launching it, authorities said.

Richard Eason, 74, a resident of Ocala, Florida, who kept a summer home in Nobleboro, launched his boat at the Vannah Road boat launch around 1:45 p.m. Friday, then pulled it to shore, according to a news release from Mark Latti, communications director for Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

While Eason was parking his truck, his boat drifted off the shore and toward the center of the lake.

Witnesses fishing on the lake told authorities that they saw Eason jump into the water and swim after his boat, which continued to drift away from him. After Eason swam about 75 yards, he went underwater and didn’t resurface, witnesses said.

Latti said Eason was not wearing a life jacket.

Nobleboro and Damariscotta first responders launched boats to look for Eason but were unsuccessful. Around 7 p.m. Friday, the Maine Warden Service Dive Team found Eason’s body in about 15 feet of water. His body was taken to Halls Funeral Home in Waldoboro.