TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. A 48-year-old Fort Myers man died on Friday after succumbing to injuries sustained while being trapped underwater on Thursday.
Robert McCarthy was swimming with three friends when they were caught in a dangerous rip current behind the Bilmar Hotel on the 10600 block of Treasure Island Beach, according to a statement from the Treasure Island Police Department.
Jody Boyer, 43, of St. Petersburg, Carlton Dubois, 45, of St. Petersburg, and Kimberly Dubois, 47, of Fort Myers, made it back to shore with help from first responders.
McCarthy was located underwater by another beach goer, Randal Fry of St. Petersburg.
“Fry used a boogie board and paddled out to where he located McCarthy,” the statement said. “Fry attempted to bring McCarthy to shore; however, he was struggling against the treacherous conditions before being assisted by a rescue swimmer from the St. Pete Beach Fire and Rescue.”
CPR was performed on McCarthy before he was transported to Palms of Pasadena Hospital in St. Petersburg, where he died from being underwater too long, the statement said.
“We would like to remind the public to be aware of their swimming abilities as well as their limitations,” the statement said. ” If you are caught in a rip current, do not fight the current but rather swim out of the current parallel to shore. If you cannot escape, try to float or tread water and call or waive your hands for assistance.”
