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A man who was on a Father’s Day fishing trip with his son died after drowning in a Maine river, multiple news outlets report. James Wescott, 56 of Fremont, New Hampshire, was fly fishing

with his son Jarod Wescott at the Kennebec River in Embden around 8 a.m. local time on Sunday, June 16, according to local TV station WABI and _The Bangor Daily News_, citing the Maine

Department of Inland Fish and Wildlife. PEOPLE reached out to the department for comment but did not immediately hear back.   James was trying to exit the river but lost his footing before

falling into the water’s strong currents, WABI and _The Miami Herald_ reported. His waders, which are waterproof boot-overalls that typically cover most of the body’s bottom half, quickly

filled with water, making it difficult for him to maintain control of his body, officials said. He was not wearing a wading belt and was swept away, per WABI.  As Jarod witnessed his father

struggling in the Kennebec River, the younger man removed his own waders and jumped into the water to try to rescue him but was unsuccessful, according to the _Herald_. Jarod then decided to

swim back to the shore without James in order to find help, according to the _Herald_, the _Daily News_ and WABI. NEVER MISS A STORY — SIGN UP FOR PEOPLE'S FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER TO

STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE BEST OF WHAT PEOPLE HAS TO OFFER, FROM CELEBRITY NEWS TO COMPELLING HUMAN INTEREST STORIES. Several nearby fire departments — Anson, Solon, Madison and Skowhegan —

responded to the scene. Authorities soon found James but he was unresponsive by the time they arrived.