Dad dies after being pulled from Gulf of Mexico with his son, Florida officials say

A father and son swimming in the Gulf of Mexico became trapped in a swift current and had to be pulled from the water by rescuers, according to the Clearwater Police Department in Florida.

Both were hospitalized and the father later died, WFLA reported.

Rigoberto Romero, 49, of Clearwater, was with his 10-year-old as part of a family outing when their situation became dire, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

It happened around 7 p.m. Friday, April 26, on Clearwater Beach, police said in a news release.

“Preliminary information shows that two swimmers, a father and son, began struggling in the water near the jetty on the south part of the beach,” police said in a news release.

“The father was pulled from the water and was treated on scene by police officers and fire medics, then taken to Morton Plant Hospital with potential life-threatening injuries. The son was taken to Morton Plant as well as a precaution, but is expected to be OK.”

The incident remains under investigation.

Clearwater is about a 20-mile drive west of Tampa.

This story was originally published April 29, 2024 at 11:40 AM with the headline "Dad dies after being pulled from Gulf of Mexico with his son, Florida officials say."