Vandenberg’s iconic radar dishes were broken during Hurricane Irma (Photo: Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau)
A Florida diver has died while exploring the USNS General Hoyt S Vandenberg, one of the Florida Keys’ most popular wreck sites, according to a statement from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The diver, who has been named as Nicholas James Strazzulla, 50, of Inverness, Florida, is reported to have lost consciousness after descending to approximately 45 metres (150ft) during the dive on 22 November 2025.
He was brought back to his dive boat, where crew members immediately began CPR. Strazzulla was then transported to Lower Keys Medical Centre on Stock Island, where he was pronounced dead later the same day.
The Vandenberg wreck lies roughly 7 miles (11km) south of Key West in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and is one of the largest artificial reefs in the world. Depths on the site range from around 27 metres (90ft) to more than 43 metres (140ft).
Investigators say foul play is not suspected, and an autopsy is pending to determine the cause of death.
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