Authorities say they cannot publicly identify the 27-year-old man who drowned nearly two months ago in the Merrimack River until they confirm that his immediate family members, who are not in the United States, have been notified.
“This is an unusual situation for us,” Captain Tim Dunleavy of New Hampshire Marine Patrol said Thursday. “We’re approaching the end of July and this happened at the end of May, which speaks to the length of time it’s taking.”
The double drowning on the river was one of several incidents on the river this summer, which led to fears that the closing of municipal pools due to the coronavirus would lead to more tragedies.
The communities of Boscawen, Canterbury, and Concord have urged anyone swimming or boating in rivers to take extra precautions since the current can be invisible and dangerous.
“There have been two fatalities and several water rescues on the Merrimack and Contoocook Rivers in the past month,” the three communities said in a joint statement. “With the normal recreational areas being closed due to COVID-19, there is increased public use of remote river areas with no lifeguards on duty. Please use caution when swimming or boating on any water bodies, but be extra careful when you are on or in moving water. Even if a river looks calm, there can be fast-moving undercurrents.”
The Monitor filed a request for request with Marine Patrol in July to get more information related to the double drowning at Pebble Beach in Canterbury on May 30, including the name and place of residence of the man who lost his life. Dunleavy said every effort is being made to notify the victim’s family and that, as soon as authorities are able to do so, they will follow up with a public release.
Pamela Usanase, 21, of Concord also drowned that day after being overwhelmed by strong currents and deep water in the river, according to her obituary. Usanase, who graduated from Concord High School in 2017, was a senior at Plymouth State and a soldier in the New Hampshire National Guard 3643rd Brigade Support Battalion.
Earlier this month, a Tilton family and their friends saved three people from the same area of the Merrimack River where the double drowning had occured. A toddler, teenager and man were rescued on Fourth of July by the family who was enjoying a leisurely float down the river when they heard a woman scream from the shoreline for help. The man suffered critical injuries in a near-drowning.
Rescuers Traci and David Sullivan performed CPR on the man until emergency crews arrived at the remote Pebble Beach. He was then transported by ambulance to Concord Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment. The teenager was also evaluated.
Authorities said the man was recovering in the hospital. His condition this week was unknown.
While Marine Patrol responded to the July 4 incident, Dunleavy said the agency is not leading the investigation because there was no drowning.
“If it’s unrelated to boats and does not result in a drowning, that is usually the end of our involvement,” he said.
Dunleavy said the number of drownings investigated by Marine Patrol are “a little below average” for this time of year, but he cautioned that the summer season is still young. Peak calls usually occur in August, he said.
“When we experience these hot, humid heat waves, we find our own residents and tourists will flock to any body of water they can to seek relief,” he said.
He continued, “When you’re dealing with current and you’re dealing with these rivers, it’s critical for people who are not good swimmers to be very conscious of the dangers of swimming in the rivers, especially where drop-offs happen quickly due to the current.”
Also on July 4, authorities responded to Horseshoe Pond off North State Street behind Boutwell’s Bowling Center and Dallas Pizza for a report of a body discovered by two kayakers.
Marine Patrol has since identified the man as Sounthone Khounkhamtan, 27, of New Hampton. His body was found in a shallow marsh area of the pond, Dunleavy said.
An autopsy was performed by the state medical examiner’s office. However, Dunleavy said Thursday that Marine Patrol is still awaiting a cause of death from the medical examiner. The case remains under investigation.