Bradenton Man Dies After Being Submerged in Sarasota Bay

A Bradenton resident and teacher at Palmetto's Tillman Elementary Magnet School has died following a possible downing in the Sarasota Bay today. 

Sarasota Police responded at 1:50 p.m. off shore near the 1400 block of Ringling Causeway where fisherman Calvin Esaw, 54 was submerged under water, police said. It's immediatlely unclear how that happenned.

The Bradenton Herald reports that Esaw was wade fishing at the time. Sarasota Police Capt. Paul Sutton told The Herald-Tribune that Esaw had likely drowned, but a medical condition might have contributed to Esaw's troubles, and witnesses told the paper they tried to help Esaw and another man in the bay:

Witnesses Paul Goodin and Nina Alcantara, who were cleaning a home nearby, heard the calls for help and called authorities. They then grabbed a kayak and went into the bay to help the two men.

"We saw a couple heads bobbing in the water," Goodin said.

The two fishermen were struggling to stay afloat about 40 or 50 yards offshore, where the water is about six feet deep, Goodin said. Esaw was completely underwater when they arrived to help him, he said.

Goodin and Alcantara pulled the two men onto the kayak and brought them to shore." 

Emergency workers attempted to revive him and he was transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital where he died, police said.

Esaw taught graphic art at Tilman Elementary, according to the school's website. 

The Manatee County Schools system had the day off Monday in observance of Presidents Day.