Man dies while retrieving cellphone from Hernando Beach water: HCSO

HERNANDO BEACH, Fla. - A man who jumped into the water to retrieve his friend's cellphone died during the process Wednesday afternoon.

The Hernando County Sheriff's Office says they received a 911 call around 4 p.m. of reports of a possible drowning at the Hernando Beach boat ramp located at 4477 Calienta Street.

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Upon arrival, deputies met with two men who said they had been boating with another friend. The men told deputies while at the dock, and in the process of removing the boat from the water, one of the men's cellphones fell into the water.

The victim, a 69-year-old man, jumped into the water to try and find his friend's phone, but never resurfaced.

Divers found the man's body around 8:30 Wednesday night.

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Detectives said the victim, who was from West Virginia but had a home in Pasco County, suffered from heart disease and had a pacemaker.

The man's death appears to be accidental or related to a medical episode, according to the sheriff's office.