Man Drowned in Becket Quarry
Update: The DA's Office on July 24 identified the victim as Rainiely Meteo, 25, of Springfield.
BECKET, Mass. — A man drowned Friday in Becket Quarry; his remains were recovered on Saturday.
According to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, the victim, a man in his 20s, and a woman, were swimming across the quarry on Friday. The man began to struggle and quickly submerged under the water. The woman and others who were on the shore at the time attempted to locate and rescue the victim. They were unsuccessful.
Berkshire State Police Detective Unit the responded to a report of a drowning at about 5:36 p.m. along with members from multiple Berkshire County dive teams. In addition to a physical search, the dive teams utilized an underwater rover to assist.
The rover successfully located the victim's body but experienced a malfunction and returned to the surface. Because of the malfunction and the nighttime visibility conditions, the dive team stopped recovery efforts. On Saturday, dive teams from the State Police, the Western Massachusetts Technical Resource Team and the Environmental Police returned to the quarry and recovered the body.
The name of the victim has not yet been released.
"Based on statements from individuals who witnessed the drowning, the victim went under the water in a matter of seconds," said DA Timothy Shugrue in a statement. "The Berkshires have experienced a number of drownings, from children to adults, in the past few years. It is of critical importance to respect the danger that water presents.
"In this hot weather, I urge all residents to practice safety and vigilance while swimming in lakes, rivers and pools. Even strong swimmers must take safety precautions in the water."
Tags: drowning,
