Cocoa Swimmer Drowns In Retention Pond
By Space Coast Daily // July 30, 2012
Accidental Death
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – The body of a man who disappeared Sunday while swimming in a retention pond near cocoa has been recovered.
Cocoa Police Department spokeswoman Barbara Matthews said Walter Perdieu, 410 Seahorse Lane in Cocoa, was found dead Monday in a pond one-quarter mile off Grissom Parkway. He had drowned.
Perdieu, 37, had been the focus of a search by Brevard County Fire Rescue and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office divers since Sunday.
Matthews said Perdieu was swimming with family and friends in the pond when he went under and did not resurface.
The sheriff’s dive team launched an immediate search of the pond Sunday afternoon and continued through nightfall.
They resumed the search Monday morning and found his body shortly after noon.
The victim was found about 100 feet from shore in 34 feet of water. The visibility during the search was from 0” – 12” maximum.
Members of the Sheriff’s dive team as well as the Brevard County Sheriff’s Agricultural & Marine Unit (12 staff total) used a boat and side-scan sonar to locate Perdieu.
Matthews said Perdieu’s death appeared to be an accidental drowning, but authorities are continuing to investigate .
