metaldector
Contributor
Went to Blue Spring early this morning to dive. While checking in several police and emergence cars entered the park. When we parked a large fire engine was blocking the walk way to the park. Thought better to find out what had happened before suiting up. Very few people in the park and police were talking to an older woman. She said her swimming companion had disappeared while swimming. They closed the park, and roped off the access to the river. Helicopters, dive teams, sheriff dept., Orange City police, and FWC officers swarmed the area. Then all of the TV crews showed up. My daughter noticed a few police running towards the mouth of the river so she and a friend followed. I was a little bit behind her with my wife. Then police pushed us all away from the river and took out assault rifles and posted shooters every 50 feet. My daughter and friend reported that they had seen the body underwater and a big gator on top of it. The police brought a large power boat up the river and shot a blast from the prop at the body and the gator moved a few feet away but stayed near the body.After several hours of waiting we saw a wildlife animal catcher come with his gear and scuba divers from the county dive rescue team were suited up waiting to recover the body. We didn't wait any longer instead left. We'd been there since 9:30 AM and it was 1:30 PM, no dead gator but diving wasn't going to happen today. Found out the swimmer was a 63 year old male.I have been diving there for years, never saw a gator up near the swimming area. I suspect since so few people were in the water not making the usual noise it gave the gator free access and a undisturbed approach. Too bad for the victim and his swimming partner.~
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