Firefighters rescued a man from Portland Harbor on Tuesday night in the driving snowstorm after he fell into the water while trying to board a fishing vessel near Becky’s Diner.
Rescue crews were dispatched to the pier around 11 p.m., and when they arrived, the man was swept under the pier by the current, leaving no direct access to him from the top of the pier, the Portland Fire Department said in a statement.
Two firefighters donned cold-water suits and swam to find the man, who was pulled from the water with the assistance of firefighters using ladders.
Portland Fire Capt. John Brennan estimated that the man was in the 38-degree water for between 10 and 15 minutes.
“When they removed him, his core temperature was getting pretty low so he needed to be transported (to the hospital),” Brennan said. “He was conscious the whole time but again, time is obviously of the essence at that point.”
The man was taken to the hospital and treated for cold water exposure. A person who tried to help the man was evaluated at the scene and did not require hospitalization.
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