Bodies of Two Men Recovered After Falling Into the Water Near Pass-a-Grille Channel in South Pinellas
Update 8:20 PM – March 22, 2017
At about 6:25 p.m., a boater located the body of an adult male floating in Bunces Pass, just south of Shell Key Preserve. Marine Unit deputies recovered the body and were able to identify the victim as 21-year-old Jie Luo.
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Update 5:30 PM – March 20, 2017
Just after 2:00 p.m. a recreational boater reported a body floating in the water approximately three miles west of Egmont Key. Deputies recovered the body and were able to identify it as that of Andrew Charles Dillman.
Next of kin has been notified
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Update: March 14, 2017:
Coast Guard continues search for 2 missing near Pass-a-Grille
The Coast Guard and partner agencies continue their search for two males missing near the Pass-a-Grille channel entrance.
Missing are Andrew Dillman, 27 from New York, and Jie Lou, 21 from China.
Coast Guard crews and partner agencies have conducted 22 searches over 419 square miles.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Andrew and Jie during this difficult time,” said Lt. Jason Holstead, the command duty officer at Sector St. Petersburg. “We continue work closely with our partners to search for Andrew and Jie, all of us have them and their family in our thoughts and prayers.”
At 6:10 p.m. Tuesday Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watch standers received a report from the captain of the 71-foot yacht, Jaguar, stating two males were missing from the boat.
Sheriff Gualtieri says 15 Chinese college students on spring break, 14 from
Colorado State University and 1 student from Stony Brook University booked the
vessel through Florida Yacht Charters at Maximo Moorings Marina for a four
hour cruising event. The vessel left Maximo at approximately 4:00 pm. The
conditions were reported to be choppy, windy and rough.
When the yacht anchored at Shell Key, five students, including Lou, jumped from the boat to swim. The current pulled the students away from the boat, and all but Lou were able to make it back to the boat. Dillman, a crew member aboard the yacht, jumped in to rescue Lou, and was also swept away.
The charter boat captain was identified as Todd Davis. The students reportedly paid $2,000 for a 4 hour trip into the Gulf of Mexico. Conditions were too rough to head offshore and he anchored near the pass.
Davis told authorities that he informed the students to not enter the water due to the unfavorable conditions. The students reported that the captain did not object to them getting in the water. Alcoholic beverages were found aboard the boat according to Sheriff Gualtieri.
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ORIGINAL POST: March 14, 2017
Multiple units were dispatched to a water rescue on Tuesday, March 14, 2017 sometime prior to 7pm.
Initial reports indicate that the boat was anchored when 5 people entered the water to swim. When one of the swimmers had difficulty getting back to the boat, the first mate entered the water to assist. Both of the men drifted away from the boat. Neither men were wearing life preservers.
It is reported that the 71-foot boat was chartered by 15 students from Colorado State University visiting on Spring Break. The boat is now docked at a local marina where its occupants are being interviewed by local law enforcement.
Eckerd College, US Coast Guard, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and local Fire Rescue crews participated in the search. The search was conducted both on foot, by air and by sea.
Many of the units headed back to dock due to weather conditions and inability to effectively search in the conditions and darkness.
Coast Guard is continuing the search.
No details have yet been released regarding this search. If any details are released, the updates will be provided on https://iontb.com.
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