NRP Recovers Body of Missing Port Deposit Boater

Maryland Natural Resources Police officers recovered the body of a Port Deposit man on May 29, who went missing on May 26 after strong winds capsized a canoe and tossed him and a fishing partner into the Susquehanna River.

Jacob Nicholas Nolan, 22, was found near Marina Park in Port Deposit. His body was taken to the state Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore for an autopsy.

Nolan was a passenger in a 16-foot canoe owned by Matthew Flowers Trainor, 22, also of Port Deposit. The two men were fishing after dark near Lee’s Landing in Port Deposit when the accident occurred.

A small craft advisory had been issued for the region, the canoe had but one paddle and Trainor could not recall how many life jackets were aboard.

Both men grabbed for floating items from the canoe, and Trainor said he was able to reach a cooler, which had his cell phone secured to the outside in a plastic bag. He called his wife, who contacted the authorities.

Trainor was rescued at 10:43 p.m. by the Water Witch Volunteer Fire Co. of Port Deposit. The search grew to include units from Maryland Natural Resources Police, the Coast Guard, Maryland State Police aviation, Susquehanna Hose Co., Darlington Volunteer Fire Co., and members of the Harford County Technical Rescue Team.

The search resumed at first light on May 27. NRP’s dive team deployed a side-scan sonar unit to assist the search.  NRP has been conducting surface searches and dragging the bottom since this incident occurred on May 26.