Haverhill Fire Chief William F. Laliberty.
Local and state authorities are investigating the death of one of three people rescued Wednesday evening from the Merrimack River in downtown Haverhill.
Haverhill Firefighters retrieved Trent Cook, 47, of Haverhill from the river. He was transported to Holy Family Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The circumstances leading to the death are under investigation by Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office along with Haverhill and State police, according to Haverhill Detective Captain Robert P. Pistone.
“Two other individuals, a male and a female, were pulled from the river and transported to the hospital as a precaution. The female, was a friend of the victim, jumped into the river in an effort to save the victim. The male, who was fishing nearby and heard shouting, also jumped and attempted to save the victim,” said Carrie Kimball-Monahan, Blodgett’s spokeswoman.
Haverhill Fire Chief William F. Laliberty told WHAV this morning he learned the three had jumped from the Basiliere Bridge “for fun, but it turned to a tragic event.” Rescue crews from the Water Street station responded along with a rescue boat Wednesday at about 8 p.m. to a call reporting the three in the river near the bridge. The three were transported to a local hospital after being pulled from the water. The conditions of the other two involved are unknown, Laliberty said.