Two divers who were found dead off the coast of Rockport, Massachusetts, on Wednesday appear to have drowned, and foul play is not suspected, Rockport police said Thursday.
The first diver was found in distress on Front Beach around 11 a.m. While bystanders and first responders tried to help, the man was pronounced dead at the hospital. He was identified as 75-year-old Alan de Oliveira Leao, of Pepperell.
Later in the afternoon emergency crews started a water search when they realized a second diver was still missing. That diver, later identified as 78-year-old Richard Brady of Hampton, New Hampshire, was found in the water off Front Beach, and also pronounced dead.
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Police said there does not seem to be any foul play in the deaths.
"This is a tragedy for the two families who have lost their loved ones," said Rockport Police Chief John Horvath. "We grieve with both families and send our deepest condolences."
Rockport Police and the Essex County district attorney's office continue to investigate. Massachusetts State Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, and multiple Rockport agencies all assisted in the search.
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