Father, Son Swept Away By High Tide In Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, FL — A father and his young son who were fishing in Jacksonville were swept away by high tide. Around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the high tide came in while the family was fishing. Witnesses told authorities the man was holding the child trying to come ashore near the Nassau Sound Bridge when they were swept away.

"They were unable to at that time and the last visual was of them being dragged back out eastbound towards the ocean," a spokesman for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office told reporters.

Authorities stopped search and rescue efforts and began calling it a recovery effort Sunday evening. A dive team, beach unit, jet ski unit, patrol units questioned witnesses. Florida wildlife commission and an air unit also assisted in the search, along with investigators.

An investigation remains ongoing.

The names of the victims weren't immediately released.

The office said the boy was between 7 and 8 years old. The father was in his mid-30s.

Low tide and darkness presented challenges for rescuers, the spokesman said. Soft ground underneath the water sometimes acts like quicksand, he said.

"The family was out here gathering and some of them were fishing, that's what was happening," he said.

#AnJaxBreaking: Family members tell me crews have recovered the body of the little boy swept into the water yesterday near Ft. George Inlet. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews https://t.co/RZKTs1Bhf8
— Beth Rousseau (@BethANJax) October 14, 2018

BREAKING: After about one hour of searching this morning, JSO just informed me search crews have located the body of the 7 year old boy who was swept away in the water while fishing with his dad. His father’s body was recovered last night. @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/VNXFL9VrlT
— Allyson Henning (@AllysonHenning) October 14, 2018

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