JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Authorities are working to identify a body pulled from Jacksonville Beach Wednesday morning.
Jacksonville Beach Police said a paddle boarder brought it to the shore from about 100 yards away. Police said the person is a man, but he’s not been identified yet.
There’s also been a recovery operation there this week for 19-year-old Curtis Newkirk, Jr. who went missing in the water on Sunday evening while swimming.
Rob Street owns a condo nearby. He said he was standing on his balcony and saw the waves tossing something around.
He said that’s when Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue pulled up and two lifeguards pulled the body out.
“One went back and got this canvas stretcher,” Street said, “and they put it underneath him in the water, picked him up and brought him out to the beach.”
A man also fell off a cruise ship about one hundred eighty miles off the coast of Jacksonville Tuesday.
Street said this incident was the first thing he thought of.
“We’ve had a condo out there for years and have never seen anything like it,” Street said. “It’s just sad. I’m sure this man has a family and it’s tragic.”
Jon Christel and his family also noticed the emergency vehicles down the shore.
He said they had no idea what was going on at the time, but they visit Jacksonville Beach to surf because he’s heard it has the best waves on the east coast.
“The waves are pretty back-to-back,” Christel said, “so you kind of got to be ready or otherwise you don’t have time to reset up. Pretty choppy, but you’re able to catch a few waves if you know what you’re doing.”
Check back with First Coast News for updates on this story.