MIAMI – Miami police are investigating after a man who was on vacation jumped into Biscayne Bay early Thursday morning and drowned.
The incident was reported around 4:55 a.m. in the area of 1155 Brickell Bay Drive, right behind the popular Crazy About You restaurant in Brickell.
According to police, the man, who had been out drinking with friends, jumped into the water, leading another man to also jump into the water to try to save him.
“They were both partying, they were having a good time, having drinks. When they were playing around, one was chasing the other,” Officer Michael Vega said. “The first one decided he’s going to jump into the water, not knowing what’s under the water and the second one comes right behind him and jumps in too with him. The first one -- we don’t know if he knew how to swim, if he hit the rocks when he jumped or if it was just that he was drunk and couldn’t swim, so we’re trying to investigate it.”
According to police, the initial man who jumped into the bay was unconscious when authorities arrived and the second man, who is 26 years old, was treading water.
Miami Fire Rescue officials confirmed the initial victim was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in “extremely critical condition.” He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The other man is said to be OK.