Missing Manatee diver found dead in Sarasota, cops say

The body of a 56-year-old Manatee County man who had been diving off Sarasota County has been found after he was reported missing Wednesday morning.

According to the Sarasota Police Department, officers responded just before 7 a.m. this morning to a call for a missing diver near New Pass Bridge.

Police say he was initially reported to Manatee County authorities after his vehicle was found at the New Pass Bait Shop and Sarasota police took over the investigation. The department’s underwater search and rescue team deployed two boats with multiple divers.

Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in the search, including the Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

After several hours of searching, the body of Hieu Chi Trinh was found west of the New Pass Bridge. Police say Trinh was an experienced diver and he was diving for stone crab claws when he went missing.

Detectives are working the case and the medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of death.