Couple drowns trying to save family pet

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - A husband and wife drowned trying to save the family dog at Hampton Ponds in Westfield on Monday evening, state police say.

It all started just before 6:30 P.M., when a 64 year old man and his 61 year old wife were taking an evening cruise on their pontoon boat.

Their small dog was along for the ride.

State police say the dog jumped off the boat, and the man went into the water after it.

The man was having trouble staying afloat, so his wife got in the water to try and save him. Neither was wearing a life jacket, and both husband and wife drowned.

"It didn't look good from what we could see. The people were pulled out of the water.  Stretchers. It didn't look good from what we could gather," said Craig Lapierre, who lives near Hampton Ponds.

The names of the couple were not released until Tuesday morning. Westfield Police Capt. Hipolito Nunez told 22News that the victims were Daniel and Patricia Cyr , both of Westfield.