A snorkeling outing in the Lower Keys turned tragic when a 56-year-old man from Belmont, North Carolina, died after being pulled from the water near Cottrell Key in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge on May 10, according to officials. He was found unconscious in the water during a commercial snorkel trip and later pronounced dead at Lower Keys Medical Center on Stock Island.
The Charlotte Observer reports that the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as 56-year-old Benjamin Lee Millspaw. In a May 11 Facebook post cited by the paper, deputies said Millspaw was pulled from the water unconscious at approximately 11:59 a.m. on May 10. According to the report, he was pronounced dead at Lower Keys Medical Center and an autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death. The sheriff’s office told the paper that “foul play is suspected to be a factor” in the incident.
Where It Happened
NOAA notes that Cottrell Key sits roughly nine miles northwest of Key West and is one of three mangrove islands that make up part of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. According to the refuge information, a 300 foot no motor zone surrounds Cottrell Key, and the wildlife management area covers about 56 acres. The island is remote, with visitors typically reaching it by boat tours and private charters.
Investigation Underway
Monroe County detectives are handling the case and say an autopsy will be completed to determine cause of death, according to The Charlotte Observer. Authorities have not released additional information about what led to Millspaw entering the water. Because the site lies inside a federal wildlife refuge, investigators are coordinating with refuge staff as they gather details.
Context And Safety
Fatal incidents in the surrounding waters are not unheard of. The Miami Herald reported a May 3 drowning near Marvin Key that also ended with a patient being pronounced dead at Lower Keys Medical Center. The region’s uninhabited keys and sandbars are popular with day boats and tour groups, yet their remoteness can complicate emergency response when something goes wrong.
Officials regularly remind visitors to choose operators with proper safety equipment and to pay close attention to crew briefings before entering the water, particularly in offshore areas where help may not be immediately available…