Miami Teen Dies While Spear Fishing in Florida Keys

19-year-old was free diving and spear fishing when he didn't surface: Authorities

A Miami teen died Sunday while free diving and spear fishing offshore of the Upper Florida Keys, authorities said.

Erick Diaz,19, was with friends on a private vessel when the incident happened around noon near the lighthouse at Tennessee Reef, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

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Diaz's cousin told detectives the teen was spear fishing with a mask and snorkel and had the line attacked to his spear tied around his waist, authorities said.

While trying to shoot a fish, Diaz shot the spear into some rocks and it got stuck. The cousin said he tried to pull the spear from the rocks but couldn't so he swam to the surface to get help.

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But Diaz never surfaced. The sheriff's office dive team along with the Coast Guard and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded and recovered the body.

The body was turned over to the medical examiner's office. The teen wasn't identified and the cause of the death wasn't given though authorities are expected to release more information.

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