Authorities in Palm Beach County have mounted an urgent search for a man who disappeared following a watercraft mishap on Sunday. According to CBS12, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) reported that the man did not resurface after his waverunner crashed near Southern Boulevard early in the morning.
Continuing the search into Monday, the multi-agency response includes the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) leading the investigation alongside PBSO which provides sonar equipment supporting the operation, diving into the incident as reported by WPBF 25 News. The mishap prompted Palm Beach County Fire Rescue to respond to 911 calls received around 5:25 p.m., signaling a person falling off a watercraft in a canal and subsequently becoming submerged.
In the aftermath of the crash, efforts to locate the missing individual were immediate, with divers from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue entering the water within 10 minutes of their dispatch, as per the information obtained by WPBF 25 News. Despite the quick response, PBSO spokeswoman Teri Barbera indicated that the search persisted through Monday morning.
Throughout the search operation, dive teams, having toiled through the water for 90 minutes, came up empty before darkness curtailed their efforts. Arriving after the initial response, FWC took over the lead role of the investigation on Monday, while PBSO continued its assistance with their specialized sonar equipment, as detailed by CBS12.
