A 9-year-old boy was flown to an area hospital after being underwater at Sandy Beach in Hopkinton for 10 minutes.
Hopkinton police said that the boy was brought to Milford Regional Hospital, then flown to UMass Hospital for further care. The 911 call came in around 5 p.m.
Boats on Lake Maspenock pulled close to shore, some with their engines off, so the propellers wouldn't hit the young boy.
"Somehow there was a gentleman who was able to see," said Jason Ferreira, a witness. "I don't know how he was able to see that far down in through the dark, but he said he found him, pulled him up and paramedics took over from there."
Neighbors formed a human chain and walked into the Lake Maspenock waters to find the boy. After pulling him from the water, someone detected a pulse. The Hopkinton Fire Department performed "life-saving measures" within minutes of pulling him out of the water.
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"They were able to get a pulse on him and he is still being treated at this time," said Edward Lee, the Hopkinton police chief. "All we can do is say a prayer for him now and keep our fingers crossed and that the little guy pulls through."
The boy was found on the other side of the ropes. A sign posted reads "while swimming, please stay inside the buoy lines."
"Parents need to keep an eye on their kids at all times. Know their capabilities when it comes to swimming and to really stay vilgelent."
Police are not saying much about the boy, but they say he is from another town.