WOODSTOCK – The Maine Warden Service will resume searching for a New York man who likely drowned in Bryant Pond on Sunday afternoon.
Mark Latti, communications director for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said that Yohanna Milad Israel Rizk, 28, of New York City was kayaking around 1:30 p.m. Sunday on Bryant Pond when his kayak flipped and dumped him into the water.
Latti said that Rizk was inexperienced at kayaking, “was not wearing a life jacket and did not know how to swim.”
Rizk struggled to grab the kayak before going under, according to his friends who were watching from the shore.
Latti said that two of Rizk’s friends grabbed kayaks of their own and attempted to search for him but were unsuccessful.
The Maine Warden Service and Woodstock Fire Department searched for Rizk using boats Sunday afternoon but could not find him.
“A game warden and his K9 did find a glove Rizk was wearing that had washed ashore,” Latti added.
Latti said that the Maine Warden Service dive team will return to Bryant Pond and begin searching at 8 a.m. Monday and will use side scan sonar.
The depth of the water where Rizk was kayaking is approximately 40 feet deep, according to Latti.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less