Body Of Missing Swimmer Found In Siesta Key Waters: Sheriff

SARASOTA, FL — The body of a missing 23-year-old swimmer was recovered late Monday afternoon from waters in the area of 9150 Blind Pass Road on Siesta Key, according to a Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office news release.

The search for Jose Daniel Venta Ciro of Sarasota began Sunday night, when the sheriff’s office received a call for “two to three distressed swimmers” around 7:30 p.m., the agency said.

With help from bystanders on the beach, members of the Sarasota County Fire Department rescued all but one swimmer, Venta Ciro.

He was last seen struggling in the water at Turtle Beach, where there are no lifeguards, WFLA reported.

Because of darkness and safety concerns about the current’s strength, search efforts were suspended until daylight.

The Sheriff’s Underwater Recovery Force and sheriff’s marine units responded early Monday morning to resume the search and recovery along with an SCFD marine unit and the United States Coast Guard.

The sheriff’s office used advanced side-scan sonar lent to them by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, focusing on an underwater search based on where his family said Venta Ciro was last seen.

His body was found by a passing fisherman later that afternoon about ¼-mile south of where search-and-recovery efforts were focused, the sheriff’s office said. He was identified by photographs provided by his family.

The body will be turned over to the medical examiner’s office.