On 5/3/2023, at approximately 1721 hours, FWC Communications received a call from United States Coast Guard of a missing individual who either fell off or was ejected from a personal watercraft (PWC) in East Bay, Bay County, FL.  The individual had operated the PWC into East Bay from the shoreline of Earl Gilbert Park in Parker, FL. which is just east of the Dupont Bridge (Highway 98.) While operating the PWC, Operator was not wearing a life jacket and was not wearing the cut off lanyard.  The PWC was a 2020 10' Yamaha personal watercraft with a Florida registration.  Three subjects in a vessel nearby (see attached witness list) saw Operator fall from the PWC at location N30 06.212 W85 35.960 and soon thereafter realized he was in distress.  They operated their vessel toward him to help and observed him go under the surface of the water just before they got to him.

An extensive search by multiple agencies started (FWC, USCG, and US Air Force personnel) and continued until 5/6/2023.  On 5/6/2023 at approximately 1918 hours, FWC Lt., who was off duty and on a personal vessel, located Operator floating face down in St Andrews Bay at location N30 07.332 W85 36.766.  FWC Officers recovered Operator and he was turned over to the 14th Judicial Medical Examiner's Office where an autopsy was performed by Dr. on 5/8/2023 where he stated a preliminary cause of death as drowning.  A toxicology report for Operator was not available at the time this report was submitted and will be included in the final investigative report which is pending.

See detailed investigative report for this incident in Incident Summary Report (ISR # 050593.)
EAST BAY
PARKER                        