A man drowned near John’s Pass in Madeira Beach on May 18, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. City of Madeira Beach via Facebook
A 21-year-old Virginia man drowned in Madeira Beach near the popular Johns Pass area on May 18.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said rescue teams responded to the beach after at approximately 6:40 p.m. after reports of four people struggling to swim.
The swimmers were 100 hundred west of swim area buoys near Johns Pass.
Paddle boarders rescued three of the four distressed swimmers but a fourth individual, identified Ritvik Dammoju, was further west of the paddle boarders.
Rescue units from the Coast Guard, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission searched for the 21-year-old man.
His body was found a half mile west of the John’s Pass Bridge at 8 a.m. on May 20th.
Police are investigating the death but said the drowning does not appear to be be suspicious.
