Police Chief Paul Nikas and Fire Chief Paul Parisi report that a 72-year-old Ipswich man who drowned in Plum Island Sound on Wednesday afternoon has been identified as Richard P. Collins.
On Wednesday, July 26, at approximately 3 p.m., the Ipswich Police and Fire Departments were notified that workers at the Ipswich Bay Yacht Club, 124 N. Ridge Road, spotted an individual in the water in the area of the Yacht Club’s mooring area just off shore.
Ipswich Police immediately launched their marine unit and located Collins, who was quickly returned to shore at the Yacht Club’s dock.
Police, Fire and ActionEMS units performed CPR and other lifesaving measures before Collins was taken to Beverly Hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead.
Collins appears to have been swimming at Clark Beach in Ipswich.
The death appears to be an accidental drowning, but remains under investigation by the Ipswich Police Department and Massachusetts State Police detectives attached to the Essex District Attorney’s Office.