OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — The body of Jeremy Carmical, a 30-year-old scuba diver who went missing Sunday off the coast of Destin, has been found.
The United Cajun Navy led the search effort after the Coast Guard called off their search Monday night. Captain Tony Dickey of the UCN confirmed the discovery.
Carmical disappeared after a dive southwest of Destin’s East Pass. The other people on his vessel said he went missing “in the blink of an eye.” They searched for hours before reaching out to authorities for help.
16 vessels and volunteer divers worked together, performing surface and bottom grid searches. Planes and local volunteers, including beach walkers, assisted in the search, according to Dickey.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Coast Guard initially assisted, but the search was handed off to local efforts.
Captain Dickey said safety was a top priority during the search.
“It lasts until we bring him home,” Dickey said.
The UCN’s motto is “bringing home the lost.”
UPDATE (9:05 p.m.): The search for 29-year-old Thomas Williams is well past the 24-hour time mark.
Williams’ family members said Wednesday night they don’t understand why there have only been three boats in the water looking for him.
“We just need more people out there in the water,” Kyrey Williams, Thomas’ older brother, said.
Family members took matters into their own hands Wednesday evening by throwing hooks into the water where they believe he last was.
“We just trying to catch his clothes or whatever we could catch,” Kyrey said.
Monroe County Rescue is leading the investigation with three vessels skimming the water and K-9s on land. Daphne Search and Rescue began assisting in the search on Wednesday night.
“It’s just very strange for him to go missing like this, and he never goes alone; he always has someone with him, so it’s just strange,” Williams’ cousin Kami Bowe said.
Monroe County deputies said they have reviewed the dam’s security footage but couldn’t find any leads.
UPDATE (5:30 p.m.): News 5 has learned more after a fisherman was reported missing near the Claiborne Lock and Dam.
According to officials, deputies have been searching by boat and investigating for over 24 hours to find the missing fisherman. Three vessels are currently searching the water. Earlier, there were K-9s at the scene.
Here are photos from the search location:
A Monroe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said that deputies reviewed the security camera footage at the dam in addition to the search. They said nothing was found.
The Family told News 5 that 29-year-old Thomas Williams Jr.’s fishing pole with bait fish on the line, backpack, and truck were found there after he went missing.
Officials told News 5 that there is still very limited information.
ORIGINAL STORY:
MONROE COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — Deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office are searching the water at the Claiborne Lock and Dam for a missing fisherman Wednesday.
According to MCSO officials, 29-year-old Thomas Williams Jr. was fishing in the area on the Alabama River around 2 p.m. Tuesday.
SEARCH LOCATION:
Williams did not return home from his fishing trip, according to his sister.
Deputies are searching the water by boat but are unable to put divers in the water due to how rough it is.
This is a developing story. News 5 will update this story as more information becomes available.