Sheriff Confirms Missouri Man Found Dead 110 Feet Deep During Florida Keys Dive
A Missouri man died after being found unresponsive 110 feet underwater during a scuba dive at a Florida Keys shipwreck, officials confirmed, as questions remain about what caused the incident.
The death happened during a recreational dive near Islamorada, a location known for advanced-level wreck diving, raising concerns about what may have gone wrong below the surface.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, 71-year-old Lonnie Lee Higgins of Columbia was diving the Eagle wreck on March 13 when commercial dive workers found him on the ocean floor. CPR was started immediately and continued by U.S. Coast Guard crews before he was transported to a hospital in Tavernier, where he was pronounced dead.
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Authorities say foul play is not suspected, but they have not released a cause of death, leaving uncertainty around whether the incident was triggered by a medical emergency, equipment issue, or conditions at depth.
“Foul play does not appear to be a factor,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
The Eagle wreck, a former freighter intentionally sunk to create an artificial reef, is a popular but demanding dive site, with depths that can increase risks including nitrogen narcosis, air consumption strain, and limited bottom time.
Investigators are now awaiting autopsy results, which are expected to clarify whether Higgins experienced a health event or dive-related complication.
For now, officials have not announced any changes to dive operations at the site.
The case remains open pending further findings.
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