Profile Falls, Bristol, N.H.

CONCORD — The drowning deaths over the weekend of two men from Massachusetts, ages 19 and 71, has prompted police and Marine Patrol authorities to reiterate the importance of taking water-safety measures, especially by those who are at risk due to age, physical condition or lack of experience with water-related recreation.

This month’s hot, then seasonably warm, weather conditions have contributed to higher than usual numbers of people, many of them vacationers from out-of-state, to seek relief in the state’s many waterways.

The first of two incidents that claimed the lives of the Massachusetts men occurred about 12:40 Saturday afternoon at Profile Falls, a roughly 30-foot waterfall that’s part of the Profile Falls Recreation Area in the Grafton County town of Bristol.

Police and firefighters from Bristol, New Hampton firefighters and state police Marine Patrol officers were called to the area of the falls by witnesses who said a young man, later identified as Victor Rosado-Rosario, 19, of Methuen, was swimming in the falls when he went under and didn’t resurface.

Friends and fellow swimmers, including an off-duty nurse, were able to locate Rosado-Rosario and brought him to shore.

There, they began performing CPR, but he was pronounced deceased a short time later, officials said.

They said the investigation is ongoing, and they ask anyone who witnessed the incident to contact Marine Patrol Sergeant Nicholas Haroutunian at Nicholas.M.Haroutunian@dos.nh.gov or 227-2112.

Roughly three hours later, state police dispatch began receiving calls regarding an incident involving an adult male kayaker who they said was found unresponsive in Conner Pond in the town of Ossipee.

State police from Troop F, along with Marine Patrol and state Fish and Game officers, Ossipee police, West Ossipee firefighters and Action Ambulance personnel responded, officials said.

The kayaker, later identified as Ernest Richardson, 71, of Beverly, was brought ashore, where CPR was initiated. He was later pronounced deceased, officials said.

The investigation into this incident is also ongoing, police said. They urge anyone who may have witnessed it to contact Marine Patrol Lt. Crystal McLain at Crystal.H.McLain@dos.nh.gov or 227-2113.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.