TYNGSBOROUGH — Chief Shaun Woods reports that the Tyngsborough Police and Fire Departments assisted an individual who was injured in a personal watercraft crash on Lake Mascuppic on Wednesday evening.
On Wednesday, June 11, at approximately 7:20 p.m., the Tyngsborough Police and Fire Departments were called to Lake Mascuppic for a report of a crash involving two personal watercraft.
First responders arrived at the lake to find that good Samaritans had brought an injured party to shore, where they provided medical treatment. That individual, an adult male, was taken by ambulance to Lowell General Hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening.
A preliminary investigation determined that two watercraft on the lake were involved in a rear-end crash. The Massachusetts Environmental Police responded to the crash and are conducting an ongoing investigation.
In light of the crash, and the approaching summer months, Chief Woods would like to share safety tips for kayakers, paddlers and recreational boaters using Tyngsborough’s three major bodies of water.
The following safety tips are courtesy of the American Canoe Association:
- Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when boating or fishing, even if you don’t intend to enter the water.
- Children under the age of 12 must always wear a life jacket in a public body of water.
- Be a competent swimmer with the ability to handle oneself underwater, moving water, surf, or current. Keep the craft under control. Do not enter a rapid unless you are reasonably sure you can navigate it or swim the entire rapid in case you capsize.
- Keep a lookout for hazards and avoid them. Watch for fog, especially on coastal waters.
- Group members need to constantly assess the behavior of others in their group.
- Never drink alcohol while operating a vessel.
- Take a boating safety course and ensure you are comfortable using your vessel.
- Drive at the appropriate speed and follow navigation rules. Do not speed.
- Always proceed with caution. Operating a boat is a serious responsibility.
Chief Woods would also like to inform the community of a Town bylaw that prohibits parking or beaching boats or watercraft along the shores of Lake Mascuppic. The new bylaw, intended to address overcrowding at the lake, took effect this year and imposes a fine of $100 on anyone who parks or leaves a boat unattended along the lake in a non-emergency situation.
“Our lakes and rivers are a wonderful resource for Tyngsborough, and we encourage all of our residents and visitors to use them safely this season,” said Chief Woods. “I want to thank the Massachusetts Environmental Police for their assistance with last night’s incident. They are excellent partners as we seek to enforce safety on the water.”
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