PARSONSFIELD — A Massachusetts man canoeing on the Ossipee River with his nephew Sunday had a seizure, capsized the boat and drowned, authorities said.

Richard Marden, 29, of Andover, Mass.,had a history of seizures, said John Gulliver, a spokesman for the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department.

Marden was not wearing a life jacket when he drowned around 10 a.m. near the New Hampshire border, Gulliver said.

John Pelletier, 9, was wearing a life jacket and held onto the canoe until he was rescued, Gulliver said.

Thomas Oldakowski and his wife, both of Worcester, Mass., were staying at a camp 50 feet from where the boat capsized. The couple rescued the boy and pulled Marden out of 12 to 15 feet of water using an anchor, Gulliver said.

Oldakowski and rescue personnel attempted to revive Marden. He was pronounced dead at 11:30 a.m. at Maine Medical Center.

Marden’s mother was at the scene, Gulliver said.