New Hampshire

Man Fishing With Friends Near Nine Island Likely Drowned: NH State Police

The search for the man was suspended Wednesday night; multiple agencies are set to resume looking for the missing man Thursday morning

NH Fish and Game/Twitter

A man who was fishing with two friends Wednesday afternoon near Nine Island in Monroe, New Hampshire, went underwater and never resurfaced, state police announced.

New Hampshire State Police said the search for the man was suspended Wednesday evening, but multiple agencies would resume Thursday morning. It is being investigated as a probable drowning.

Police identified the man Friday as 31-year-old Jonathan Zukowski of Woodstock and said search efforts remain ongoing.

According to state police, their department received a 911 call around 2:20 p.m. Wednesday, with the caller reporting two people were stranded on an island, and a third person had gone underwater nearby and not resurfaced at the junction of the Passumpsic and Connecticut Rivers near the Vermont border.

A preliminary investigation reveals the three men were fishing when one of them noticed their boat was drifting away and attempted to retrieve it. Despite attempts to throw him a life jacket, he went underwater and did not resurface, state police said.

Several agencies responded in addition to state police, including New Hampshire Fish and Game, fire departments from Monroe, Littleton and Bath, Woodville EMS, and the St. Johnsbury, Vermont Fire Department.

The incident remains under investigation. Anyone who has further information related to this suspected drowning or who witnessed it is encouraged to contact Sgt. Seth Alie at 603-227-2117 or by email at Seth.P.Alie@dos.nh.gov.

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