Woman reportedly jumps into Merrimack River while fleeing police

STORY UPDATE June 30, 2023 – Fish & Game use sonar in second-day search for woman last seen jumping into Merrimack River

MANCHESTER, NH – Rescuers searched the Merrimack River Thursday night after a woman reportedly jumped into the river while fleeing law enforcement.

Manchester Fire and EMS launched boats in the area of the Granite Street Bridge shortly after 8 p.m.

Bystanders reported seeing the woman struggling in the middle of the river before losing sight of her.Manchester Police, Hillsborough County Deputy Sheriffs and New Hampshire State Police searched the shoreline on both sides of the river.Additional law enforcement and fire personnel went further south in the area of the Queen City Bridge to continue to search the river.A Manchester police officer flew a drone with thermal imaging to attempt to locate the woman but was unsuccessful.The water level of the river is very high due to the recent heavy rains, and the flow of the river is at a pace much higher than normal.The area the woman jumped into near the Foundry Restaurant is one of many areas where members of the homeless community have set up makeshift tents to shelter themselves from the weather.The search was called off at about 10 p.m. due to dangerous conditions of darkness combined with the volume of the flow in the river.

We’ll bring you more information as it becomes available.