Crime & Safety

Adrift Tubers Rescued Off Preston Beach

Marblehead firefighters and the town's harbormaster responded to the area of Preston Beach Monday afternoon to rescue tubers who had drifted too far from shore.

Three area residents who drifted too far from shore Monday afternoon were rescued in the waters off  by members of the local fire department and the town's harbormaster.

According to Fire Capt. Michael Porter, at 11:42 a.m., fire units responded to a report of three people on tubes who had drifted away from Preston Beach.

Porter said a 12-year-old boy in an inflatable tube either fell asleep or wasn't paying attention when he drifted away from shore. The fact that he was unaware that he was adrift, Porter said, prompted a 16-year-old girl he was with to swim out to rescue him.

Find out what's happening in Swampscottwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"He either fell asleep or he was listening to some tunes or something," Porter said. "So she swam out there and got onto the tube with him."

After realizing that there were now two kids drifting out to sea aboard a single yellow tube, a mother on shore got on a separate flotation device and made her way out to stranded pair, Porter said.

Find out what's happening in Swampscottwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The second rescue attempt prompted another mother on shore to call 911 and Porter said Fire Capt. Charles Cerrutti ordered firefighters Joe Thibodeau and John LeQuin to head out in the department's 13' inflatable boat to retrieve them.

"They both did a great job," Fire Chief Jason Gilliland said.

Soon after, LeQuin and Thibodeau rescued the two youths and the town's harbormaster towed the mother back to shore. The incident resulted in no reported injuries.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.