A day of fun and relaxation at Bigelow State Park in Union turned tragic for a 23-year-old Bloomfield man and his family.
Dwayne Haynes was pulled from the bottom of Mashapaug Lake around 4:30 p.m. on Monday after witnesses reported that he went under and never resurfaced.
Several people nearby tried to help after Haynes disappeared.
"Me, my cousin, my brother, we all jumped in the water," Juan Ramos said.
Ramos and a group of others fanned out across the lake as emergency crews rushed to the scene.
"We spread out," Ramos said. "There were eight of us. We spread out and then we tried to search under but we couldn't see anything because it was too dark."
Dive teams from throughout Tolland County were called in and two boats and four divers scoured the 65-degree water.
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"The 23-year-old male was recovered in 15 feet of water in about 20 minutes," West Stafford Fire Chief Joe Lorenzetti said.
Haynes was given CPR at the scene before being rushed to Harrington Hospital in Southbridge, Massachusetts.
He was pronounced dead at around 6 p.m., according to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
There is no lifeguard on duty and was Haynes found in an area where swimming was prohibited, officials added.
