Emergency crews are frantically searching the icy Charles River for a man spotted struggling in the water near the Longfellow Bridge earlier today. The Boston and Cambridge link became the center of a "very active situation," as police and dive teams canvassed the area in a desperate attempt to locate the individual.
The call came in around 11:30 a.m., with initial reports indicating a man "struggling in the water" near the famed bridge, according to an email statement from State Police spokesperson David Procopio on The Boston Globe. As time wore on, with temperatures dropping, the urgency of the search intensified, but the man has yet to be found.
Multiple agencies, including local police and specialized dive teams, were deployed to the scene in a joint effort. With each passing minute, the operation grew in scale, reflecting the seriousness of the situation and the determination of the rescue personnel.
At this time, details about the identity of the man or how he ended up in the river are sparse. "We are still searching and have not located the person yet," Procopio conveyed in his email. Cambridge Fire Department also confirmed in a post on X, the ongoing search operation. The community has been asked to steer clear of the area to allow unfettered access to the rescue teams.
11:34 WATER RESCUE at LONGFELLOW BRIDGE in #CambMA
— Cambridge Fire Dept. (@CambridgeMAFire) February 12, 2024
The search continues to be a race against time as conditions on the river remain perilous. Officials urge anyone with information about the incident to come forward and assist in the man's swift recovery.
