U.S. Coast Guard suspends search for missing free diver; more than 1,415 miles covered

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — U.S. Coast Guard officials Monday evening suspended the search for Virgil Price, who was free diving Sunday about 13 miles southeast of the Fort Pierce Inlet and didn’t resurface.

The U.S. Coast Guard announced in a 10:31 p.m. Monday social media post the search for Price, 39, of West Palm Beach, was suspended pending new information. The agency reported a search of more than 1,415 miles and 36 hours.

Meanwhile, while searching for the diver, the U.S. Coast Guard recovered the body of a man who appeared to weigh 200 to 225 pounds and is thought to be more than 50 years old. The body was found about 16 miles northeast of the Fort Pierce Inlet, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office in a social media post. The medical examiner and law enforcement authorities are working to identify him.

Price reportedly was free diving the Halsey shipwreck, which is a boat sunk by a German submarine in 1942.

Price is a "team member" at Florida Freedivers, a sporting goods store in North Palm Beach, according to a social media post by the store. He appears to be an instructor there.

Price last was seen about 10 a.m. Sunday by three other people in his party and was reported missing, Arielle Callender, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson, stated Monday via e-mail.

Free diving, also called skin diving, relies on breath-holding until resurfacing.

According to uboat.net, the Halsey, a 7,088-ton steam tanker, was attacked May 6, 1942, by U-333, a German submarine, and sunk. Two torpedoes struck the vessel. The entire crew – eight officers and 24 others – abandoned ship in lifeboats and survived.

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Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: U.S. Coast Guard search for missing free diver off FP inlet suspended