WORCESTER—A College of the Holy Cross student died after a canoeing incident over the weekend that prompted a multi-day search involving state and local emergency responders, according to officials and the college.
Dominick Joseph Tocci, 20, of Woodstock, CT, was recovered Monday afternoon from Lake Hayward in East Haddam, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Environmental Conservation Police.
“At approximately 3 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2026, crews searching Lake Hayward in East Haddam recovered the body of 20-year-old Dominick Joseph Tocci of Woodstock, CT,” officials said.
The search began Saturday night after a canoe carrying two 20-year-old men capsized around 9:50 p.m., according to earlier information provided by DEEP Environmental Conservation Police.
A nearby resident heard calls for help from the lake, and one of the men was brought safely to shore by a Good Samaritan using a paddle boat, according to information provided by DEEP spokesman Will Healey. That individual was transported to a local hospital and later discharged.
Emergency responders launched a search for the second individual Saturday night. According to DEEP, agencies involved included Environmental Conservation Police, Connecticut State Police drone and dive teams, Troop D troopers, East Haddam and Middletown South fire departments, and others.
The search was suspended early Sunday morning and resumed at 9 a.m. Sunday, according to DEEP. Officials said search efforts included water-based searches, aerial surveillance and dive teams.
The missing individual was later identified by authorities as Tocci, who was last seen in the water at approximately 9:50 p.m. Saturday, according to a release from the Division of Environmental Conservation Police.
“The incident remains under investigation by DEEP EnCon Police,” said officials on Monday afternoon. “The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of death,” officials said in the release.
College of the Holy Cross confirmed Tocci was a junior political science major from Woodstock, CT.
“The college was devastated to learn this afternoon that the search team found the body of Dominick Tocci ‘27, a junior political science major from Woodstock, Conn., following a boating incident in Connecticut,” the college said in a statement. “The prayers of the entire Holy Cross community are with Dominick’s family, friends, classmates, professors and all who knew him.”
The college said counseling and support services were made available to students, faculty and staff following the news.
“Support from counselors and our college chaplains has been made available to any student, faculty, or staff member who may need it,” the college said in the statement.
Authorities said no additional information was immediately released.
Story updated as more information becomes available.
