Divers, dogs to continue search today for missing York canoeist

Maine Warden Service K9 Luna searches the shore of Flagstaff Lake for signs of Caitlin Guinta. Photo courtesy/Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife)

DEAD RIVER TOWNSHIP, Maine - After searching throughout the day on Monday, the Maine Warden Service will resume the search for a missing 31-year-old York woman against this morning.

Since Saturday night, the Maine Warden Service and other emergency response agencies have been searching the shores and waters of Flagstaff Lake for 31-year-old Caitlin Guinta of York. Guinta was canoeing Saturday evening with her boyfriend Ned Roche and her brother, Kyle Guinta. The three were motoring across Flagstaff Lake from an island back to the campsite they were staying at when their canoe capsized due to rough lake conditions and heavy wind.

The two men and their dog swam to shore, but Caitlin Giunta did not.

Today the Warden Service continued searching on the land and have now searched over 4 miles of shoreline and the wooded area where Caitlin Guinta was last seen swimming toward shore. The Maine Warden Service dive team searched an area approximately 270 acres in size in the area where Guinta was last seen in the water as well. Along with searching the woods and shore with K9s, a Maine Forest Service helicopter searched the area.

Search efforts were suspended at approximately 6:30 PM but will resume in the morning. Plans are to continuing searching the woods and shoreline but the main focus will be on the water with boats and divers.

The Maine Warden Service has been assisted in search efforts by the Maine State Police, Maine Forest Service, US Border Patrol, Franklin County Search and Rescue, Maine Association for Search and Rescue Dogs, New Portland Fire Department and North Star Ambulance Service.

Currently, no further information is available.