Two shrimpers – ages 20 and 21 – drown as others jump in to help, FL cops say

Two men who went shrimping drowned in a Florida river when they wound up in the water while trying to “retrieve an object,” authorities said.

The Palatka Police Department identified them as 20-year-old Wilbert Rivera Cifuentes and 21-year-old Deyfri Roblero Morales.

Law enforcement began searching for the men the evening of July 21 after getting a call that two people fell in the St. Johns River while shrimping from the dock near a gazebo area of the Palatka Riverfront, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

Several others jumped in the water to help, but the two men slipped under the water and never resurfaced, law enforcement said.

“Upon arrival, officers learned that a group of five to six Hispanic males had entered the river in an attempt to retrieve an object,” police said in a news release. “During the effort, two individuals — both reportedly unable to swim — were seen struggling in the water before going under.”

When McClatchy News reached out to clarify what item had fallen in the river, police said they didn’t have additional information to share.

Divers and marine units with the sheriff’s office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission retrieved the men’s bodies at around 10:30 a.m. July 22, according to police.

Palatka is in northeast Florida, about a 60-mile drive southwest from Jacksonville.

Drowning

At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.

Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.

The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.

“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”