Missing swimmer found dead off coast of Anna Maria Island, Manatee deputies say
A swimmer who went missing off the coast of Anna Maria Island has been found dead in the Gulf, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday afternoon.
Deputies said they launched a multi-agency search around 7 p.m. Sunday when witnesses reported seeing an adult man who was swept away by the tide near Bean Point, according to a news release. Another man he had been swimming with was rescued by people nearby, the sheriff’s office said.
Around 12:35 p.m. on Monday, deputies said the missing man had been recovered from the water just west of Anna Maria Island. At the time, the sheriff’s office said they were working to positively identify him and did not release his name.
On Tuesday, the sheriff’s office confirmed in a news release that the body recovered belonged to missing swimmer Abhigyan Patel, 20. Deputies said his name was withheld earlier while they notified family members overseas.
Deputies said the “extensive search” involved boats, paddleboards, aerial support from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard.
This story was originally published September 1, 2025 at 1:29 PM.
