Putnam County deputies and the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife officers are searching for a young man who fell off his boat Thursday in the St. Johns River south of Palatka.
The boater, identified Xaiver Frazier and between 16 and 20 old, fell overboard from a pontoon boat around 4 p.m. in choppy water near the entrance to Dunn’s Creek new Rat Island. Authorities don’t know how many people were on board.
FWC is leading the search with boats equipped with sonar, two helicopters and drones. The Sheriff’s Office said boats were using a grid pattern and it had divers on standby.
“It was windy yesterday. He was wearing a hat and, at some point during the boat ride, the hat blew off. They stopped and he jumped into the water to retrieve it and we don’t know exactly what happened after that,” FWC Public Affairs Office Officer Chad Weber said.
FWC said other people on board were questioned and the search began near channel marker 16, then expanded.
Search for missing boater ongoing. Yesterday a young adult male fell off his boat in the Dunns Creek area. @MyFWC is leading investigation and we are assisting. Boats are working in a grid pattern. Divers remain on standby. pic.twitter.com/SujAbB1yYh
— Putnam County (Fla.) SO (@PutnamCountySO) April 24, 2020
Authorities say said conditions on the water haven’t been ideal, but their equipment makes it possible to carry out the search. They are reworking the search areas and shifts as conditions allow.
Friends and family have been at the site since the search started but they didn’t want to comment right now as they are focusing on finding their loved one.