- May 6, 2024
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Law enforcement divers recovered the body of 18-year-old Flagler County resident Ritchy Volmar in the Intracoastal Waterway Feb. 25 after a jet ski accident.
The search began the previous day, after Volmar and a friend were riding on a jet ski together near Bings Landing and were both thrown from the watercraft, according to the FCSO.
Volmar, who was not wearing a life vest, disappeared into the water. The friend, who was wearing a life vest, searched for him, but didn't find him. The friend called 911 at 2:34 p.m. and showed law enforcement officers where the accident occurred.
"The friend that called 911 told us that [Volmar] could swim, so there must have been a reason that he was unable to recover from being thrown off," Flagler County Sheriff's Office Public Affairs Manager Brittany Kershaw said. "He wasn’t sure if he was hurt."
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission led the search, which included the area around Bings Landing south to the Hammock Dunes toll bridge. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office sent out its Marine Unit to search for the missing man, as did the St Johns County Sheriff's Office, which sent a boat with sonar. Flagler County Fire Rescue and Flagler County's emergency helicopter, FireFlight, also assisted.
The search was suspended at around 10 p.m. on Feb. 24, although FWC kept boats on the water and continued looking.
It resumed the morning of Feb. 25, and FWC divers found Volmar's body at 12:47 p.m., south of Bings Landing.
FWC is still investigating.
