Man found dead after being thrown from personal watercraft in Fort Myers

A man who was thrown from a personal watercraft in Fort Myers on Saturday has been found dead.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says they responded to The Harborage community off US-41 after the report came in around 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

The FWC says a 10-foot personal watercraft was being used on a private lake inside the community when 47-year-old Richard Brent Toms was thrown into the water and didn’t resurface.

Dive crews with the FWC and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office searched for Toms and found his body Sunday afternoon. Using The sheriff’s office’s SONAR equipped drone and FWC equipment, authorities were able to recover the body.

They say Toms was not wearing a lifejacket when he fell off the watercraft.

Lee County Fire, San Carlos Park Fire and Estero Fire also responded to the scene.

The Harborage community was all decorated and ready for Christmas but a family will be missing a loved one this year.

The incident remains under investigation by the FWC.

FWC wants to remind everyone heading out on the water, especially during the holidays, to wear a life jacket and always be aware of their surroundings.