Search for swimmer called off on Fort Myers Beach
Multiple emergency responder agencies were out on the south side of Fort Myers Beach today searching for a swimmer who had been reported to have gone under water.
Fort Myers Beach Fire Chief Scott Wirth said the call came in to 911 at 11:06 this morning. “It was reported by someone in one of the residences that they saw a male swimmer inside the safe swim zone buoys yelling for help and then going under water. No other information is available and no one approached us to say someone (family member or friend) was missing,” Wirth said.
A rescue operation began with units responding by land, water, and air. No swimmer was located or rescued. After more than an hour of searching, the incident transitioned from a rescue effort to a recovery effort, Wirth said. The incident was turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office Secretary Katie Walter said the department was on scene earlier today “searching the area and looking for any potential witnesses. At this time, we have not taken any reports of a missing or overdue swimmer.”
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office did not have any further updates. Witnesses to the search and rescue operation reported seeing more than half a dozen boats in the water searching, before operations concluded mid-afternoon. There is currently no search operation going on in the area.
To reach Nathan Mayberg, please email nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com