The body of a 23-year-old swimmer has been recovered in Florida after he disappeared underwater while struggling off the coast on Sunday evening, authorities said.
The missing swimmer, identified as Jose Daniel Venta Ciro, was found dead near 9150 Blind Pass Road on Siesta Key after a passing boater notified searchers, who were conducting recovery efforts about a quarter mile north, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said.
Officials identified the remains as Venta Ciro using photographs provided for the search.
First responders were initially called to Turtle Beach around 7:30 p.m. Sunday to help two to three swimmers in distress, the sheriff’s office said.
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Marine units used advanced side-scan sonar provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (Sarasota County Sheriffs Office)
Sarasota County Fire Department personnel worked with bystanders to rescue all but one of the swimmers.
Due to the approaching darkness and concerns over the growing strength of the current, the sheriff’s office suspended the search for the missing swimmer until daylight.
The swimmer disappeared after becoming distressed in the water of Turtle Beach on Siesta Key. (FOX13 Tampa WTVT)
The Sheriff’s Underwater Recovery Force and marine units resumed the search early Monday morning along with a fire department marine unit and the U.S. Coast Guard.
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Marine units used advanced side-scan sonar to focus on an underwater search where the missing swimmer’s family said he was last seen.
No official cause of death has been released as the sheriff’s office says Venta Ciro’s body will be turned over to the medical examiner’s office.
Search teams focused on an underwater search based on the family’s account of where he was last seen. (FOX13 Tampa WTVT)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said that rip currents have been strong this week, issuing warnings along the coast of Florida, FOX13 Tampa reported.
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If caught in a rip current, experts say to remain calm and float on your back until you can swim parallel to shore. Experts warned swimmers to never fight against the flow of the rip current.
