On Monday morning, a 43-year-old paddleboarder who had gone missing the previous evening in the waters off of Martha’s Vineyard was found dead.
The incident occurred near the $12 million home owned by Barack and Michelle Obama, complicating an already tragic scene.
The man, whose identity has yet to be released, was out paddle boarding with a companion when he suddenly encountered difficulty in the water and submerged without resurfacing.
The companion quickly alerted local authorities who promptly began a search operation at approximately 7:46 PM on Sunday.
As night fell, efforts were hindered by darkness and sheer vastness of the pond where he went missing.
The following morning saw multiple agencies join forces for an expansive search effort that included divers, marine assets, aerial support from Massachusetts State Police (MSP) and US Coast Guard helicopter crews as well as side-scan sonar technology deployed from boats by Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers.
It was this last element that ultimately led to his body being recovered close to shore at approximately 10 AM on Monday morning at a depth of about 8 feet below the surface.
An investigation into this fatality is currently being conducted by both State Police Detective Unit for the Cape and Islands District and Edgartown police departments with details expected later today or tomorrow.
The 911 call made in response to this incident originated from Barack & Michelle Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard estate though it remains unclear whether either former president or his family were present during their time there over the weekend when this tragedy occurred.
Our thoughts are with those affected by this loss during these difficult times ahead.
UPDATE: The man has been identified as 45-year-old Tafari Campbell from Dumfries, Virginia who worked as sous chef for White House when he first met Barack Obama family.
