Officials brought his body ashore Monday. He likely drowned

Officials say the preliminary cause of death for a man who was dead when pulled from a boat Monday afternoon is drowning.

Several agencies were called to a boat in distress at Caspersen Beach shortly before noon Monday, where two people were brought ashore, but one of them – Bradley A. Blake, 44, of Sarasota – was dead.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office launched a death investigation with the Medical Examiner’s Office, which said the preliminary cause of death was the result of a drowning, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office Marine Unit, Sarasota County Fire Department, Venice Police and Fire Departments, and FWC also responded to the scene Monday.

This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Officials brought his body ashore Monday. He likely drowned."