East Boston Man Drowns at Winthrop Beach

A 39-year-old East Boston resident named Wayne Johnson drowned the night of Monday, September 29, at Winthrop Beach, in the vicinity of the Five Sisters breakwaters.

"We received a call at about 5:06 p.m. that a resident walking his dog on Shore Drive, had heard screams for help coming from the water," said Winthrop Fire Chief Paul Flanagan.

Rescuers responded to the screaming at the beach and found the man's body, according to Winthrop Harbormaster Chuck Famolare, who responded to the scene, who, along with Deputy Harbormasters Abe McAuliffe and Robert McDougall, launched the harbormaster vessel from the public landing and joined the effort as soon as they arrived. In addition, The Winthrop Fire Department responded to the call by getting their rescue boat to Shore Drive and launching it into the water near Cutler Street.

"After a thorough search of the breakers, we began searching the water around the breakers and harbormasters, MacAuliffe and McDougall, spotted the body," said Flanagan.

"We took the body and brought it to the beach, where Winthrop Fire started CPR," Famolare said.

Johnson was taken to the Whidden Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 9 p.m. Authorities said that he lived in East Boston. Identification of the body was made based on items found on the beach. The death has not been deemed suspicious, said Jake Wark, spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley.