Volusia County, Fla. – A 22-year-old Daytona Beach man drowned while snorkeling in the St. Johns River, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies responded around 4:15 p.m. on Saturday near French Landing after Samuel Oche’s girlfriend and several witnesses reported he had gone missing underwater after struggling to swim about 50 feet offshore, the agency said.
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His girlfriend attempted a rescue, and multiple witnesses entered the water to help, but they lost their hold on him in the current and then lost sight of him, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Air One assisted in the search. Boat sonar later detected a possible location, and about 8 p.m., the Volusia Sheriff’s Office dive team recovered the victim from the river.
“The Sheriff’s Office sends sincere condolences to Samuel’s loved ones for their tragic loss,” the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on social media.