A routine Tuesday morning on the Salem waterfront turned grim when a body was found floating in the water near Central Wharf, police said.
Officers were notified at approximately 9:40 a.m., and the person was recovered from the water a short time later. Salem police said the investigation is ongoing. Authorities have not released the person’s identity or a cause of death.
Police: Investigation Underway
Salem police confirmed the call and recovery, as reported by The Boston Globe. Local television coverage also said crews responded to the waterfront after the notification around 9:40 a.m. and described the scene as an active investigation, per WHDH.
Police have not said whether criminal charges are expected or whether the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has been asked to assume jurisdiction. For now, officials are keeping the details tight as they sort out what happened in the harbor.
Where It Happened
The recovery took place near Central Wharf, the city pier at 160 Derby Street that sits alongside Derby Wharf and Salem Maritime National Historic Site. The pier is also listed as the meeting point for a public dockside welcome for the tall ship Pride of Baltimore II later this week, according to a City of Salem notice about Heritage Days events.
City officials did not link the recovery to any event or crowd activity, and there has been no indication that scheduled waterfront festivities are affected.
What’s Next
Police said they will continue the investigation and have released no further details. In Massachusetts, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner generally reviews deaths that are sudden, unexpected or suspicious and determines the official cause and manner of death. Whether the OCME will accept jurisdiction in this case has not been announced, per the state’s OCME guidance.
Authorities are expected to release more information once the person is identified and next of kin are notified. We will update this story if officials release new details.
