A frantic search off the Fort Pierce coast ended in tragedy Friday when a missing diver was found dead on the ocean floor about seven miles north-northeast of the Fort Pierce Inlet, deputies said. Civilian divers recovered the body at an estimated depth of 55 feet, and the diver was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to FOX 35 Orlando, the U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce picked up a Mayday call on VHF Channel 16 at about 11:30 a.m. Friday and alerted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. FWC deployed four vessels and aerial support to search the Atlantic waters, while the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit joined the coordinated grid search.
Civilian boaters joined the search and located the diver
A group of friends left the Fort Pierce Inlet around 1 p.m. to assist the state and federal crews and made contact with the boat involved nearly due east of Avalon State Park. Just after 4 p.m., civilian divers went into the water and located the missing diver at roughly 55 feet. The diver was recovered, pronounced dead, and transported to U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce, as reported by WPTV.
Investigation underway
The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division is leading the probe and has not released the diver's identity while next-of-kin are notified. Investigators have not provided a timeline for when the diver became separated from the vessel or what caused the fatality, according to WPTV.
Safety reminders for divers and boaters
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission urges divers and boaters to display divers-down warning devices and to follow distance and speed rules. Boaters must slow to idle within 300 feet of a divers-down device in open water and within 100 feet in inlets or channels to reduce the risk of collisions, according to FWC. State law also spells out size and display requirements for divers-down flags; see Florida Statute 327.331 for details.
The investigation remains active as authorities work to piece together what happened, WPTV reported. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the diver as they await answers.
