ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A St. Petersburg boater’s body was pulled from the water Sunday afternoon more than 24 hours after he fell overboard, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The body of Tony Le was found 19 feet deep in the channel south of Maximo Park around 3:30 p.m. by PCSO Dive Team members
The 63-year-old fell into the water near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge from a 19-foot Pro-Line boat on Saturday around 11:35 a.m.
Just before he disappeared in the water, Le was boating with his family, sitting near the back of the boat, while they cruised at about 10 miles per hour.
Once Le’s family realized he had fallen overboard, they immediately turned the boat around and entered the water, deputies said. Other nearby boaters helped with the search, but they couldn’t find him.
Le had medical impairments and was wearing a life jacket when the boat launched, but he removed it before entering the water.
The sheriff’s office worked with the U.S. Coast Guard, multiple fire rescue units, Eckerd College, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to search for Le
While their search efforts were suspended Saturday night, they resumed Sunday morning.
The incident appears to be accidental, investigators said.