Swimmer's condition unknown, bystanders assist in rescue from Lake Winnisquam

BELMONT — A woman who fell into distress while swimming in Lake Winnisquam was transported to Concord Hospital-Laconia on Sunday evening after bystanders rushed to her aid. Her current condition was unknown at press time.

The Laconia Fire Department was dispatched to the town beach in Belmont at 4:54 p.m. on July 6, for what was initially described as a drowning. They were out the door at 4:57 p.m., and arrived on scene at 5:02 p.m. A Laconia ambulance transported the victim to Concord Hospital-Laconia, arriving there at 5:23 p.m.

As of Monday afternoon, the condition of the victim was unknown. Laconia Fire Chief Tim Joubert and Belmont Fire Chief Deborah Black did not know the victim’s identity.

Marine Patrol responded to Leslie E. Roberts Beach at 4:52 p.m. Sunday, and upon arrival learned an adult female was pulled from the water, and life-saving measures had been attempted by bystanders and local first responders. 

An investigation into the incident is active and ongoing, a New Hampshire Department of Safety spokesperson wrote Monday morning in an email.

Black said Monday the woman was swimming deep in the lake and called for help. Witnesses at the scene said the woman wasn’t breathing. Assistance from Laconia Fire was requested to transport her to the hospital because Belmont’s ambulance was in service at the time. 

Ed Otto Jr. and Sweet Image, both of Belmont, were swimming at the beach before and during the emergency. They said the woman who was later transported to the hospital was swimming far beyond the typical swimming area at the town beach, along with a female companion.

“They were swimming really far out, I’d put it at about 300 feet out,” Otto said Monday morning. “I was kind of out a little far, too.”

Otto and Image heard the pair making sounds of distress, but when Otto swam out toward them to offer assistance, they waved him off, and he returned back toward shore. Not long thereafter, Otto and Image again heard calls for help coming from the women, and Otto ventured out further into the lake to lend his assistance. 

When Otto arrived in the vicinity of the women, one of them appeared to be unconscious and not breathing, and the other was clearly in distress. Otto located a nearby pool noodle, and the conscious woman managed to bring the other’s head above water. 

Otto assisted the other woman in towing the woman described as “unconscious” toward the beach. As reported by WMUR, a man named Jonah Schafer helped get the unconscious woman onto a boogie board. The small group kept her afloat on a boogie board and, as they approached the beach, a group of bystanders rushed to their aid. 

“Without that guy, that lady wasn’t going to make it to shore,” Otto said, having already swam far out into the water to lend his assistance multiple times. “I was absolutely exhausted at that point.”

Conditions on the water were not calm, Otto said, describing what he remembered as mild swells coupled with occasional 12- to 18-inch wake from passing boats. 

“It’s really unfortunate,” he said.

“They were way, way out,” Image said. “All you could see were the tops of their heads.”