A young man recently drowned in a river in Central Florida.
According to local law enforcement, the young man drowned in the St. Johns River while snorkeling near French Landing in Orange City in Volusia County.
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office dive team recovered the victim from the river. The Central Florida man was identified as 22-year-old Samuel Oche, of Daytona Beach.
Deputies responded to the scene after the 22-year-old’s girlfriend and several other witnesses reported he went missing underwater after struggling to swim about 50 feet off shore.
His girlfriend tried to rescue him, and multiple witnesses jumped in to help, but they lost their hold on him in the current and then lost sight of him, according to law enforcement.
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office said that FWC and Air One responded to assist in the Central Florida search. Boat sonar later detected a possible location of the victim’s body.
The Sheriff’s Office extended sincere condolences to Samuel Oche’s loved ones for their tragic loss.
I have boating the St. John’s River for 25 years and have not detected much of a current.