Water Accumulation Sinks Boat in Salmon Falls River in South Berwick, Maine

A sailboat that filled with rain water caused some anxious moments as it sank in the Salmon Falls River in South Berwick, Maine on Wednesday evening.

The Dover Fire Department in New Hampshire was notified by the U.S. Coast Guard about a boat sinking about 500 yards south of the Salmon Falls River Bridge. A crew that responded to the boat determined it was on the South Berwick side of the river near Flynn's Lane Extension.

South Berwick Fire Department responded with their fire boat and confirmed nobody was on board.

South Berwick Fire Chief Joe Rousselle told Seacoast Current that the boat was weighed down with an accumulation of rain water that had not been drained.

"It was basically from to lack of attention due to all the rain we've had in the last month or so. It was overcome with water and settled. There was nobody on it," Rousselle said.

The boat owners so far have not been charged but have been notified to make arrangements to remove the boat from the river.

"We took the gas tank out so that didn't leak. But they gotta get it out of there or they could be charged by the NH Marine Patrol if it's in there for so many days," Rousselle said.

Anthony St.Hilaire contributed to this report.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH