NEWBURYPORT — On Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at approximately 8:00 a.m., Newburyport police and fire fighters were dispatched to the Merrimack River following reports of a person in the river.
According to a joint statement from City Marshal Matthew Simons and Fire Chief Stephen H. Bradbury III, witnesses said they saw a person clinging to the side of a small skiff in the river.
First responders located the boat adrift in the river, but are still searching for the occupant.
The Newburyport police and fire departments, along with Massachusetts State Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, and regional mutual aid partners, responded to the scene and are searching.
