Miami Man Dies in Key Largo While Boating
Tragedy could have been prevented if he had been wearing a life vest

Posted Monday, September 2, 2013

 
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Key Largo – A Miami man died Saturday after he jumped in the water from his boat for a swim and was swept away by the current.

43 year old Luis Fernandez was on the 17 foot vessel with his girlfriend, fishing in the vicinity of Carysfort off the Atlantic side of Key Largo. He jumped in the water to cool off at about 5:45 p.m. She said the current began sweeping him away. He grabbed for a fishing line they had in the water and it broke. She tried to throw him a life preserver, but he was so far away at that point he couldn’t reach it.

His girlfriend, who is 46 years of age and also from Miami, said it was the first time she’d ever been on a boat and she did not know how to operate it.

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded and located Fernandez’ body. An autopsy will be done to determine the cause of his death.