MATTAPOISETT — An 81-year-old hunter who became lost in Haskell Swamp was rescued Thursday evening thanks to a coordinated effort by local and state authorities.
The Mattapoisett Police Department received a distress call from the senior citizen at approximately 4 p.m., stating he could not find his way out of the wooded area.
Dispatchers kept the man on the line while police units, including Lt. Justin King and Officer Osetkowski, were dispatched to his last known location.
Utilizing 911 call data and the innovative LIVE911 system, officers were able to pinpoint the man’s approximate location.
With temperatures dropping to 28 degrees and darkness encroaching, the urgency of the situation increased.
Officer Perez deployed a police drone to assist in the search, while the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing was called in for aerial support.
The Air Wing quickly located the lost hunter and guided ground officers through the darkness and dense underbrush.
Lt. King and Officer Osetkowski reached the man at 5 p.m. Realizing he could not walk out on his own, they requested additional support.
Marion Fire/EMS responded with a Fire/EMS Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV), which was also directed by the MSP airwing to the location.
The elderly man was safely loaded onto the UTV and transported to a waiting EMS unit on Interstate 195, where he was evaluated by Mattapoisett Police EMS and subsequently released.
By 6:36 p.m., all units had cleared the scene.
The successful rescue was the result of a collaborative effort involving the Mattapoisett Police, Massachusetts State Police, Rochester Police, Marion Police, and Marion Fire/EMS.
