Body Recovered Confirmed as Missing New Tampa Boater

TAMPA, FL — The Tampa Police Department has confirmed that a body recovered from waters near the Courtney Campbell Causeway on Saturday is missing boater Mario Lucero Saenz, 34.

According to police, Saenz, a New Tampa resident, was out in a rented boat with his fiancée Erika Intriago Friday afternoon. The boat hit a sandbar around 3 p.m. and Saenz jumped in to push it off, the agency wrote in an email to media.

When Saenz jumped in, he went underwater.

“The boat drifted as he attempted to remain afloat,” the email said. Saenz went under and resurfaced twice. The third time he went under, he did not resurface.

Police say Intriago tossed him a life jacket, but Saenz never resurfaced. She called 911, kicking of a lengthy search.

Divers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tampa Police, Tampa Fire Rescue, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Coast Guard searched Friday night and resumed efforts Saturday morning. Saenz’s body was recovered around 9:52 a.m. Saturday.

Authorities did not release the identity of the body found until Monday, Oct. 24. The delay related to obtaining a positive identification and making sure next of kin were notified, police said.

No further information is available at this time.

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