Search In Progress For Missing Man

On January 3rd, rangers were notified of a missing 46 year-old Tampa man who was believed to have traveled to the park. The man was reportedly distraught over a recent diagnosis of a severe illness. Investigation revealed that he’d stayed in the Flamingo campground on December 16th and that he had not been seen since then. The man’s vehicle was found at the Whitewater Bay parking lot. An air and water search was launched on January 4th, with all high probability locations searched until nightfall. The search continued on January 5th, and a volunteer on foot found the man’s canoe on land near Buttonwood Canal in mid-morning. Dogs were brought in late in the day to search the area around the canoe. The operation was  suspended due to nightfall, but air and ground searchers and dogs resumed looking for the man the next day. The search continues.