Man Dies Trying to Save Son in Meadow Pond

UPDATE 10 p.m.: A man from Uxbridge, MA died trying to save his son.

Police say they were not wearing life jackets, it doesn't appear that they were ever intending to go in the water - rescuers say they were fully clothed when they fell in - and couldn't get back to shore.
There was a frantic rescue attempt at Meadow Pond in the Whitinsville village of Northbridge in central Massachusetts.

Police Chief Walter Worchol said the boy went in the water first and his father jumped in after him.

A passerby called 911, rescuers went into the water - the man and boy were in cardiac arrest - rushed to UMass Medical Center in Worcester.

The man, identified by police as 43 year old Sarwat Hanna of Uxbridge drowned.

His son, 6-year-old Yousef Hanna, is in serious condition.

Two civilians went in with police officers and the fire chief to get them out of a 12 to 15 foot deep section of water.

One of those civilians does not want to be in the limelight or want credit for helping, but spoke to us about following an ambulance and jumping in to do what he could.

Authorities closed the road down to investigate and say the current is very strong under a culvert at the edge of Main Street where they went into the water.

Neither man nor boy was wearing a life jacket.

Police told us they are not from the immediate area and that there was a language barrier when speaking with relatives at the scene.

A few hours later, this red car was towed away from this popular fishing spot where people in the area can't remember an incident like this.

Susanne LeBoeuf lives nearby and says she is saddened by the tragedy.

The family is originally from Egypt - the boy's mother and sister were also on the shore, they spoke Arabic, had no cell phone, and had a tough time communicating with emergency crews.



UPDATE 9:30 p.m: The man pulled from the water has died. His son remains hospitalized.



(NECN: Josh Brogadir, Northbridge, MA) - The two were fishing from the road next to Meadow Pond. Police say the man and young boy weren't wearing life jackets while fishing. They went into a 10-feet deep section of water and couldn't get out.

A passerby called 911 while two people, police officers and the fire chief jumped in.

Both the man and young boy--it is unconfirmed whether they are father and son--were in cardiac arrest when pulled from the water. They were rushed to UMass Medical Center in Worcester, MA.

Police have closed down the road to investigate, and they said the two are not from the immediate area and there was a language barrier when speaking to the relatives.

A red car was towed away from the popular fishing area, and the Worcester District Attorney's Office is handling the case now. There is no report on the condition of either the man or boy, and we are not sure if they are alive or dead.

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