WAREHAM – Officials responded early Sunday evening to a location near 786 County Road in Wareham early Sunday evening. A hole was believed to have indicated a person fell through and was trapped below ice in a bog. Divers were brought in and the search continued for some time. It was later declared a recovery mission. Late Sunday evening, the search was called off until 8 AM Monday morning.
Monday afternoon, Wareham Police and Fire held a news conference to announce the victims body had been recovered. They also revealed the man had intended to swim in the pond and was with two other people who remained on shore. The victim apparently liked to swim in the cold water and was familiar with the area they said. The incident is under investigation by State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office. Foul play is not suspected.
Update: A man has died after falling through the ice in Wareham, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
At approximately 4:31 p.m. on Sunday, Wareham Police received a 911 call for a report of a man possibly drowned in a pond behind 786 Country Road. Wareham Police and Fire responded and attempted to locate the man but were unsuccessful. Wareham first responders requested additional assistance, which included a Regional Fire Department Dive Team and the Wareham Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Police. Wareham Police additionally contacted Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.
Emergency personnel performed search operations until 11:45 p.m. Sunday night when the search was postponed due to time and weather conditions. Monday morning, Massachusetts State Police Underwater Recovery Unit along with Plymouth County Dive Team members returned to the area to continue searching. At approximately 12:45 p.m. today, the victim was located along the shoreline under a thick layer of ice. The victim was determined deceased at the scene. He has been identified as Thomas Bartholomew, 44, of Wareham. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner accepted jurisdiction and will determine the manner and cause of death. No foul play is suspected.
