Family Hopes To Return Drowned Worker's Body To Homeland

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The family of an Annapolis man who drowned while trying to secure a floating platform has started an online fundraiser to pay to send his body back to his native El Salvador. Jose Loza Ramirez, 21, was not wearing a life jacket when he fell into the water from a kayak and drowned, according to Maryland Natural Resources Police.

The mishap happened on April 4; his body was recovered May 1 from the Severn River, just upstream from the Severn River Bridge. He was working for Prestige Yacht Management when he and co-worker Miguel Angel Mejia Canales of Annapolis used a kayak to retrieve a floating platform near Chase Creek, the Capital Gazette reported.

Both men fell out of the kayak, neither of them had life jackets on at the time, but Canales made it to shore. He was treated at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis. The police halted the search for Ramirez after two days, when help from a search crew from the U.S. Coast Guard failed to locate him.

"Jose came to the USA 3 years ago in hopes of a better future for himself. Even at his young age of 21, he was a hard working dedicated young man. Ever since he arrived to the USA, Jose held two jobs to be able to help his mother back in El Salvador," the family said on it fundraising page. "Please help us send Jose back to his native country El Salvador for his mother and family to see him for the last time and to be buried in his country."

The site had raised $4,449 toward its goal of $15,000 by May 25. Click here to donate.

The Occupational Safety and Health Agency is investigating the accident, but findings could take six months to be issued. Kirk Benedict, one of the owners of the business, said Ramirez's death was due to an unfortunate mistake by an employee. He told the Capital-Gazette that all workers are assigned life vests and safety gear for every job.

Photo of Jose Gilberto Loza Ramirez courtesy of GoFundMe