Crime & Safety
Clearwater Coast Guard Crew's Search For Missing Swimmer Turns Tragic
The locally-based helicopter crew was unable to locate a 39-year-old man who went missing in the waters off Key West and was later found dead.
A two-day search for a man missing in the waters off the Florida Keys that involved a Coast Guard crew from Clearwater has ended in tragedy.
Brian Kowalski, 39, of Trinity, was found dead around 10:30 a.m. Aug. 14 near Key West, according to TBO.com.
Kowalski dove into the water Monday, Aug. 13 to help a child being towed on a rope behind a boat, after a rip current started pulling him out to sea, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Kowalski was boating near Johnson Key in South Florida. The child made it back to the boat, but Kowalski did not.
Kowalski's 10-year-old daughter called 911 to report that her father dove into the water but never returned to the boat. She had last seen him being pulled out to sea.
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The Coast Guard quickly activated helicopter crews in Clearwater and boat crews from Marathon to assist in the search.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death,TBO reports.
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