V-2 had mechanical failure and requested the assistance of V-1 to tow him back to Wabasso Causeway during passing thunderstorms. V-1 hooked up a ski rope and began towing V-2 for a couple hundred yards and determined V-2 was too large to tow. V-1 operator pulled the throttle back to neutral, stood up on the back deck, bent down to one knee, and began reaching for the tow line. While reaching for the tow line V-1 operator suddenly rolled off the port side of his vessel into the water. V-1 operator was under the water for approximately 15 seconds and re-surfaced face down and unresponsive. V-2 occupants jumped overboard to help after seeing the man fall overboard and hearing the victim's wife yelling for assistance. V-2 occupants and the victim's wife recovered the victim from the water and started CPR. The victim was brought ashore and turned over to Indian River Fire Rescue. The victim was transported to Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach and was pronounced dead by Dr. at 1517 hours. Associate Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy at the District 19 Medical Examiner's Officer in Ft. Pierce and determined the cause of death. The autopsy revealed the cause of death was drowning after collapsing into the water due to valvular heart disease.
WABASSO