DCR to Swimmers: Stay Away from Walden Monday Morning

The state Department of Conservation and Recreation is asking early morning swimmers to steer clear of Walden Pond Monday, Sept. 30 as authorities continue to search the waters for a man reported missing Sunday evening, according to Concord Police Sgt. Jack Kennedy. 

Authorities began searching Walden Pond Sunday evening after receiving reports that 63-year-old Lincoln man had not returned from an attempt to swim across the pond with two women. The trio left for the swim around 5:30 p.m. Sunday evening and police were alerted around 6:40 p.m., Kennedy told Patch late Sunday night. 

For hours Sunday night, boats from the Concord, Bedford and Lincoln fire departments, along with State Police divers and the Air Wing scoured the 100-foot-deep kettle pond on the Concord-Lincoln line. All but the Concord Fire Department's boat were called off before 11 p.m. Sunday, with the divers planning to return at first light on Monday morning. 

The missing man -- whose name had not been released by local police Sunday night -- was wearing black swim trunks when he set out with two women two swim from the Walden Pond shores across the pond toward the Lincoln side, according to Kennedy. 

The two women, who were better swimmers than the man, went off ahead anticipating he would swim to a different point, and then became concerned when they returned to the beach and he never arrived, Kennedy said. 

Due to the ongoing search, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, which operates the beach at Walden Pond, is asking early morning swimmers not to come to the beach on Monday, Sept. 30, so as not to interfere with the search. 

Anyone with any information about the missing man should contact the Concord Police Department at 978-318-3400.