Ft. Pierce Man Dies While Diving In Key Largo

KEY LARGO (CBSMiami) - A Fort Pierce man died while diving offshore of Key Largo.

Elnora Harllee said her son, 54-year old Mark Harllee, went diving Saturday afternoon 150 yards from shore. She said she and his wife, Emily, were on shore and he would surface every so often so they could see he was all right.

She said when she didn't see him surface for a while, she swam out to the channel marker where he'd been diving and found his tickle stick but him. She swam back to shore and called for help.

Paramedic Brian O'Conner, with the Key Largo Fire Department, arrived on scene along with two officers from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They all began searching for Harllee. He was found by O'Conner underwater, near the channel marker where he'd been diving.

He was pulled onto one of the FWC vessels and brought to shore, but he was pronounced dead on shore. An autopsy will be done to determine the cause of his death.

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