FORT PIERCE, Fla. -- The body of a male who witnesses say jumped into the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Pierce Tuesday night has been recovered.
Several witnesses told police they saw a black male climb over the rail on the south side of the bridge and jump at about 9:30 Tuesday night.
Once in the water, witnesses said the male began screaming for help and struggling to stay afloat.
When officers arrived, they saw the man approximately 200 yards off shore near the northern most barrier island.
Two Fort Pierce police officers and one detective immediately entered the water and began swimming towards the male. As the officers reached the first island, the male disappeared and the officers returned to the shore after losing site of him.
Divers searched the water for the man until 3:30 a.m., when the search was suspended due to dangerous water search conditions.
At about 1 p.m. Wednesday, the dive team was notified by the Sheriff's Office Marine Unit that they found something on the sonar. A body matching the description of the male was found in the area where the male was last seen.
The investigation continues as detectives try to learn the identity of the male and notify his next of kin.
