MONROE COUNTY, Fla. -- A Louisiana man died Saturday while diving in the Dry Tortugas.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office says 67-year-old Paul Wimberly was snorkeling off a commercial charter boat.
Wimberly's dive partner said it appeared that he panicked while underwater. She said he grabbed her and pulled her to the bottom with him. She was able to shed her dive equipment and do an emergency ascension to the surface.
Once on the surface, the woman yelled for help. She was pulled on board the boat and a rescue diver from the vessel retrieved Wimberly from the water. A physician and physician's assistant were on board the boat and performed CPR on Wimblerly, but were unable to revive him.
The vessel returned to the Key West Harbor Yacht Club at 10:30 p.m.
An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
