A 22-year-old man drowned in the St. Johns River near French Landing, Orange City, on Saturday afternoon while snorkeling. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to the scene at about 4:18 p.m. after the man’s girlfriend and other witnesses reported he went missing underwater. Witnesses stated that he was struggling to swim roughly 50 feet from shore before disappearing.
Attempts were made by his girlfriend and several others to rescue him, but they lost their grip in the current and then lost sight of him. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Air One responded to help with the search effort.
Boat sonar technology was used during the search, leading authorities to a possible location of the victim’s body. Around 8 p.m., members of the Volusia Sheriff’s Office dive team recovered the body from the river. The victim has been identified as Samuel Oche, 22, of Daytona Beach.
The Sheriff’s Office expressed condolences: “The Sheriff’s Office sends sincere condolences to Samuel’s loved ones for their tragic loss.”
