Classifieds

Tools

The search resumes for missing diver

By WINK Web Manager

Story Created: May 17, 2008 at 1:21 PM EDT

Story Updated: May 18, 2008 at 9:39 AM EDT

GULF OF MEXICO & CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla - Saturday evening the Coast Guard and other search crews called off the search for the missing diver. The search resumed Sunday morning. The U.S. Coast Guard has told WINK News the missing diver is a man. The man's next of kin has been notified, but his name has still not been released.

-------------

GULF OF MEXICO & CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. - The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a missing diver off little Gasparilla Pass.

The U.S. Coast Guard is telling WINK News a diver is missing about four miles out to sea. The boat the diver was with left the area to check another diver. When the boat the returned the diver was missing. WINKNews.com was the first to tell you how the diver went missing.

The diver was last seen in the 11:00am hour. Currently rescue crews from a number of agencies, along with U.S. Coast Guard crews are trying to find the missing diver. The diver is a 67-year old but the person's name has not been released.

Late Saturday morning, the captain of a 27-foot vessel from Legacy Dive Charters of Southwest Florida called the Fort Myers Beach Coast Guard Station reporting that one of the six divers aboard was missing.

Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach and Station Cortez, Fla., an HH60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., marine units from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Lee County Sheriff's Officer, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Boca Grande Fire and Rescue and Captiva Island Fire and Rescue are searching the area for the missing diver.

Weather conditions for the area are 2-3-foot seas, 5-10 knot winds and 10-mile visibility.

View Oldest Comments First

Wednesday, May 21 at 2:20 PM Holly wrote ...

JL-Perhaps you should have your head examined. Rob-you are a good soul. Prayers to the family of Mr. Witt.

Monday, May 19 at 10:52 PM sh wrote ...

Keep the family in your prayers, they need them...Rob... thank you for looking.....it means alot to me.....

Monday, May 19 at 4:33 PM Rob wrote ...

Hey, guys I was out there. The dive boat was there, just seemed to me he wasn't on top of stuff. I dove 300 ft from his boat, by myself. I did a anchor dive, there was no current, just wind. When coast guard appeared and started the search I approached their boat. No one on the dive boat seemed concerned that they lost a diver. I offered to help searched, they were very noncaring. At the time they really didn't know what he was wearing (colors), just said yellow tanks. I looked for 2 hours.

Monday, May 19 at 12:14 PM JD wrote ...

Where was his Buddy? Where was the divemaster?

Sunday, May 18 at 9:14 PM kim wrote ...

the boat left the area to check another diver?

Sunday, May 18 at 7:10 PM JL wrote ...

It is unlikely a shark attack, it is not their nature, unless the diver had speared fish in his possession. I have had a hammerhead come in close, but did not pay any attention to me, he was after the fish that got away. I dive this area and spearfish frenquently, I see very few sharks. The legacy team runs a great service and this will not detere me to dive with them in this area.