Body Believed To Be Missing Man Kevin Mahoney Found In Water Off Newburyport
NEWBURYPORT (CBS) – A body believed to be missing man Kevin Mahoney was found in the water near the North End Boat Club in Newburyport Sunday night. A large air, ground and water search took place all day after Mahoney, 33, was reported missing around 7:30 p.m. Saturday night.
"I would like to thank everyone who assisted in the search efforts," said Newburyport Police City Marshal Mark Murray in a written statement. "At this time, I would like to send my condolences to Mr. Mahoney's family, friends, and loved ones."
The body was found at about 5:20 p.m. on Sunday.
He had been seen near the intersection of Water and Federal streets in Newburyport late Friday night. Then just after midnight, Mahoney was spotted by a member of the North End Boat Club on Merrimac Street walking outside the club building around 1:30 a.m.
Mahoney was last seen in the driveway of the docks at the boat club. Police said Mahoney's cell phone and backpack were found aboard a boat owned by Mahoney's family, which was docked at the club. He may have been intoxicated.
"We searched the area last night on the grounds here at the boat club briefly, obviously it was very dark and there's a lot of marsh," said Newburyport Police City Marshal Mark Murray. "He was with his girlfriend and they were out late, they were here at the boat club. They frequented another area in town here and then they came back to this area. There was some kind of conversation between the two and they got split up."
The U.S. Coast Guard was called in Saturday night. On Sunday, crews from the Coast Guard, Massachusetts Environmental Police, Massachusetts State Police, Newbury Fire Department and Newburyport's Harbormaster searched the area.
A local resident told WBZ-TV she's heard of a number of drowning in the area over the years. "People come here, they don't understand how horrible this current is. Once you go in, I think it's very difficult to get out. It's sad every time, it just happens so much," she said.