ANNA MARIA ISLAND, FL -- Over 24 hours after it began, the search for a missing diver ended after the US Coast Guard found his body in the Gulf of Mexico Saturday afternoon.
Officials say 31-year-old Darren Rordan of Tampa was one of 4 friends who went spear fishing this morning about 18 miles west of Anna Maria Island Friday. When Rordan did not return to the boat with the others at the agreed on time, one of the friends called the Coast Guard just before 10:30 am.
The four launched their boat from the Fort Desoto Park boat ramp earlier in the day.
A spokeswoman said a good samaritan found dive gear floating in the water about 1/2 mile from the boat shortly after the search began, but found no sign of Rordan.
Just after 12:30 pm Saturday, Coast Guard divers found Rordan's body underwater, not far from the search area. Several ships and a Coast Guard helicopter searched a 600 square mile area before the search ended.
