MADISON

An 81-year-old Madison woman died after her canoe overturned during a state park-led guided tour on the Hammonasset River on Aug. 13. According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental and Protection (DEEP), the Connecticut State Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police was alerted to a report of an overturned paddle craft in the Hammonasset River with a victim in the water at 11:15 a.m. on that date.

According to Madison EMS officials, several departments responded to the incident, including the Clinton Fire and Police departments, Madison Ambulance, and the Madison Police Department. According to a statement from DEEP officials, one juvenile and two adults were paddling on the river in a canoe as part of a state park-led guided tour on the Hammonasset River when the incident occurred.

The victim, later identified by the DEEP as Gua Qiuhua of Madison, was reported to have been wearing a lifejacket when the canoe overturned. Qiuhua was rescued from the water and transported to Middlesex Hospital Shoreline Clinic in Westbrook, where she was pronounced dead. There were no other injuries to the individuals who were in the same canoe as the victim, and no one else was reported injured as a result of the incident.

EnCon police are investigating the incident. There has been no determination yet as to how Qiuhua died, and the cause and manner of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, according to DEEP officials.