The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a missing diver who failed to resurface while freediving approximately 60 miles off the coast of Naples.
USCG Southeast posted that crews suspended the search for 36-year-old Drake Sweet on Saturday, pending the development of new information. Officials said crews have searched approximately 4,275 square miles.
Sweet was last seen diving from a 21-foot boat, Soggy Foot. A second diver on board activated two satellite distress signals around 5 p.m. Thursday, prompting the Coast Guard Seventh District to launch an urgent search effort.
Search crews said they recovered equipment, a speargun and a weight belt on the bottom of the Gulf just before 1 p.m. on Friday.
Air and surface crews, along with aviation units, were scanning a broad area of the Southwest Florida coast.
Sweet was reportedly last seen wearing a gray camouflage wetsuit, blue dive fins, and a black weight belt.
This is a breaking news story. You can count on Gulf Coast News to provide updates as they are received.
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