On Thursday, November 9th, 2023, at approximately 1050 hours, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office received a call about 2 unresponsive subjects in the water near Nassau Sound bridge. Communication between multiple agencies resulted in notifying FWC of the actual location of the incident (Duval County) and a request for an FWC patrol vessel. 
Both unresponsive subjects were brought in by good Samaritans to the Duval County shoreline where CPR was administered. Both subjects were pronounced deceased by Nassau Fire Station 20 at 1131 hours. An unmanned, anchored vessel was located nearby with fishing lines deployed in the water. The registered owner of the vessel matched a driver’s license found in the wallet of one of the victim’s pockets.  Witness statements confirmed that both subjects launched the vessel at Sawpit boat ramp earlier that morning around 1030 hours and stated that they were going fishing by the bridge. Witnesses also observed the 2 subjects actively catching fish just prior to the incident. An unknown event led to both subjects entering the water and being found unresponsive by kayak fisherman in the area.
On the boating accident report, under the “vessel” tab, the "accident type" and "what contributed to the accident" on this boating accident report is listed as "other". This is due to not knowing what factor(s) led the two subjects to enter the water.
The medical examiner reports list both subjects cause of death as drowning. It lists the manner of death for both subjects as accidental.
FWC Investigations will be completing the boating accident investigation. VICTIM 1:Cause of Death: Drowning Manner of Death: Accidental; VICTIM 2:Cause of Death: Drowning Manner of Death: Accidental

Sawpit Creek
JACKSONVILLE                  