The body of a 23-year-old swimmer who disappeared underwater during a struggle off the coast of Florida was found Sunday night, authorities said.
The missing swimmer, identified as Jose Daniel Venta Ciro, was recovered about a quarter-mile north by a passing boater near 9150 Blind Pass Road in Siesta Key, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. He was found dead after alerting search teams.
Authorities identified the body as Venta Ciro from photos provided in the search.
First responders were called to Turtle Beach around 7:30 p.m. Sunday to assist two or three swimmers in distress, the sheriff’s office said.
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The Marines used advanced side-scan sonar provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office)
Sarasota County Fire Department personnel worked with bystanders and rescued all but one person.
Due to approaching darkness and concerns about the increasing strength of the current, the sheriff’s office suspended the search for the missing swimmer until nightfall.
A swimmer was lost in the water at Turtle Beach on Siesta Key. (FOX13 Tampa WTVT)
The sheriff’s underwater recovery unit and Marines resumed the search early Monday morning, along with the Fire Department’s Marines and the U.S. Coast Guard.
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Marines used advanced side-scan sonar to focus their underwater search for the missing swimmer whose family said he was last seen.
The official cause of death has not been released, as the sheriff’s office said Venta Ciro’s body will be turned over to the medical examiner’s office.
Search teams focused on underwater searches based on family testimony about where she was last seen. (FOX13 Tampa WTVT)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said rip currents were strong this week and issued warnings along the Florida coast. FOX13 Tampa reported.
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Experts say if you’re caught in a rip current, stay calm and float on your back until you can swim parallel to the shore. Experts warned swimmers never to swim against the current of a rip current.
