Marine rescue launched for intoxicated woman on Niantic River

EAST LYME, Conn. (WTNH) — Fire departments, helicopters, police k9s, civilians, and a handful of other rescue personnel gathered to search for a woman who went missing while swimming on the East Lyme section of the Niantic River.

The East Lyme Police Department launched a marine rescue at 10:28 p.m. on Saturday after receiving calls about four intoxicated females at a dock at Cini Memorial Park.

After arriving at the dock, officers found all four women in the water and ordered them to come to shore. One woman followed police instructions and made her way to shore, two other women were located at Shore Dr. in Niantic.

The fourth woman refused to exit the water and police lost visibility of her due to the darkness. Officials say because of her “intoxicated state” and distance from shore, it was decided to launch a marine rescue.

The woman was located on shore at 2:00 Sunday morning.

Those who aided in the search include:

• Niantic Fire Department
• Waterford Fire Departments
• Goshen Fire Department
• Quakerhill Fire Department
• East Lyme Professional Fire Fighters
• Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound
• Coast Guard Station New London with a boat
• Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod with helicopter
• North Stonington Fire Boat
• Old Lyme Fire Boat
• D.E.E.P. Officers & K9
• Waterford Police Department Officers and Drone Unit

Civilians and volunteers also assisted in the search.

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