A Maine man is in critical condition at a Rhode Island hospital after a fatal crash involving three boats Saturday on a pond in Taunton, Massachusetts.
The fatal crash occurred during the Bill Giles Memorial Regatta on Watson’s Pond, which is located at 1644 Bay St., at about 1 p.m. this afternoon.
Taunton Fire Chief Timothy Bradshaw said the department’s dive team was on the scene of the race when a boat spun out at about 65 mph, causing a pileup between three boats. All three drivers were ejected from their boats.
Within minutes, the dive team and rescue swimmers had all three victims out of the water.
According to the Bristol County District Attorney’s office, the driver of one boat, who was a 38-year-old man from New Hampshire was declared dead at the scene.
Another driver, a 67-year-old man from Maine is in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital and the driver of the boat that spun out, a 72-year-old Maine man, was treated for minor injuries.
Names of those involved in the crash have not been released.
Taunton Police, Massachusetts Environmental Police and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the incident.
Laura F. Nixon
