AUBURN — Rescue crews were on the Little Androscoggin River on Monday afternoon following reports that a woman had gone into the water about 2 p.m.

Fire and rescue crews launched boats on both sides of the river in the area of Main and Mill streets, a short distance from where the Little Androscoggin joins the Androscoggin River.

Witnesses reported seeing the woman thrashing about in the water and calling for help. A short time later it was reported that the woman was floating in the water but that she appeared unresponsive.

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When a police officer reached the victim at the bottom of a steep embankment, the 37-year-old woman was reported to be unconscious and having difficulty breathing. An Auburn police officer administered Narcan and performed CPR on the woman while medics made their way to the scene.

A short time later, rescuers requested additional equipment be lowered to them as further attempts were made to revive the victim.

Shortly after 3 p.m., crews were able to move the woman by watercraft to an area where she could be brought to shore and carried to a waiting ambulance.

A witness described the victim as a middle-age woman and said it appeared she was coming around as she was hauled to the ambulance. She was expected to survive the ordeal, according to a rescuer at the scene.

Later Monday, the woman was listed in stable condition at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

It was not immediately clear how the woman went into the river. She was first reported in the water in the area of a drop-in center at 121 Mill St.

A tent was seen in the area where the woman went into the water. It was believed the tent had been occupied in recent days by at least one homeless person.