STUART, Fla. — The Martin County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday the body of a missing boater who vanished in the gator-infested water at Hosford Park in Stuart one day earlier has been found.
During a news conference on Wednesday morning, Chief Deputy John Budensiek said James Summer, a 74-year-old seasonal resident from Indianapolis was trying to secure his pontoon-style boat to a dock in windy conditions at about 5 p.m. when the boat started drifting away.
"He jumped in to swim out to recover his boat," Budensiek said. "His boat continued to drift away from him. Once he got to the boat, the boat is an older boat that he was unable to to reach up and grab and hold onto."
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Budensiek added that Summer "lost his fight" while trying to stay above the water.
As the mission shifted from a rescue to a recovery effort, the chief deputy said alligators posed a "huge challenge" to the Martin County Sheriff's Office and Martin County Fire Rescue.
"Post him going under the water, gators are absolutely part of the equation. And we are worried about gators manipulating or moving him," Budensiek said, not long before Summer's body was eventually found at the bottom of the canal — about 15 feet underwater — by search crews using sonar.
Divers set out a grid system, and dragged the body of water to Summer.
"The depths were probably as much as 15 feet with zero visibility. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face," Martin County Fire Rescue diver Brett Harry told WPTV.
It's a pursuit that began Tuesday night into gator-infested water.
"Last night they ended up flashing a light and seeing pairs of eyes, probably 12 alligators very large in size," Harry said. "One of our team members actually did have an encounter and recognized there was one underwater with them."
Harry said eventually the search was called off. But he and his team were back in the water Wednesday morning, determined to find Summer.
Harry said recovery is about bringing some relief.
"That's one of the main reasons we'll do this for as long as we have is to absolutely give that family closure," he said.
Because of the rough waves and windy conditions on Tuesday evening, Summer's boat had drifted 200 yards from the dock.
When authorities recovered the vessel, they discovered it had taken on a "significant amount" of water, Budensiek said.
Summer's wife, who was also on the boat when her husband disappeared, called a neighbor to report the incident. That neighbor then called 911 at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Hosford Park is located near Cove Road and South Kanner Highway.