U.S. Coast Guard suspends search for missing free diver; more than 1,415 miles covered
ST. LUCIE COUNTY — U.S. Coast Guard officials Monday evening suspended the search for Virgil Price, who was free diving Sunday about 13 miles southeast of the Fort Pierce Inlet and didn’t resurface.
The U.S. Coast Guard announced in a 10:31 p.m. Monday social media post the search for Price, 39, of West Palm Beach, was suspended pending new information. The agency reported a search of more than 1,415 miles and 36 hours.
Free diving, also called skin diving, relies on breath-holding until resurfacing.
Meanwhile, while searching for the diver, the U.S. Coast Guard recovered the body of a man who appeared to weigh 200 to 225 pounds and is thought to be more than 50 years old. The body was found about 16 miles northeast of the Fort Pierce Inlet, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office in a social media post. The medical examiner and law enforcement authorities are working to identify him.
Price reportedly was free diving the Halsey shipwreck, which is a boat sunk by a German submarine in 1942.
He is a "team member" at Florida Freedivers, a sporting goods store in North Palm Beach, according to a social media post by the store.
Matthew Pasa, the training director at Florida Freedivers, said Tuesday that Price was one of the best in the industry.
“I’ve been with Florida Freedivers for almost 15 years, and Virgil was one of our instructors, and he slowly went up the ranks and became, honestly, our best diver we have on our team,” Pasa said, describing Price as a “well accomplished, competitive diver.”
Pasa said free diving was Price’s passion, and that he’d traveled the world participating in free diving and spearfishing competitions.
“His primary career was leading instructors, training new instructors, being in this industry in general,” Pasa said.
Pasa said Price was one of his best friends, and that he’d been free diving at the Halsey before.
“It's not an uncommon location,” Pasa said. “This whole thing was just a normal, just fun outing.”
Price last was seen about 10 a.m. Sunday by three other people in his party and was reported missing, Arielle Callender, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson, stated Monday via e-mail.
Pasa said Price was with a group of close friends, all of whom are experienced divers, spearfishers and free divers.
“He couldn't have been with a better team,” Pasa said. “It was just a fun dive with friends.”
He said he thought one of Price’s maximum free dives was at depth greater than 350 feet.
“That wreck, a 68-foot dive, is basically like ... a shallow end of a swimming pool for everybody else,” Pasa said. “That wasn't something that should have been difficult.”
Pasa said no matter what you do, risks are involved.
Pasa said Price had siblings, and was “the most easy to get along with person you will ever meet."
“His personality was very energetic, very happy,” Pasa said. “Very passionate. Very goofy.”
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Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: U.S. Coast Guard search for missing free diver off FP inlet suspended
