The alert was given shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday. Sarthe firefighters are called to rescue an 83-year-old man who fell into the water in the town of Luché-Pringé, not far from La Flèche. According to the mayor of this village of 1,500 inhabitants, questioned by West France, the victim would have fallen into the Loir while trying to get on his paddle. The man was obviously living on the banks of the stream.
The octogenarian’s lifeless body was found in the water a few meters from his house. Resuscitation attempts by firefighters were unsuccessful. The paddle board was retrieved a mile down.