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Hovensa Worker's Body Found After Apparent Drowning Accident

Oct. 3, 2006 — The body of St. Croix resident Shannon Swords was found Monday in the water near Point Udall by Blue Lightning Maritime Police (BLMP) following an apparent drowning accident.
According to a press release issued Tuesday from the 7th Coast Guard District Public Affairs office in Puerto Rico, Swords, who is a Hovensa refinery employee, went with a group of friends Sunday to see the sunrise.
According to reports received from a co-worker who was at the scene, Swords, 28, had walked down a steep path to the sea. The co-worker also went down the path and, upon arriving at the bottom, saw Swords floating face down and not moving approximately 30-feet beyond the rocks. The co-worker called 911 requesting help.
The Coast Guard received initial notification of a person in the water from St. Croix BLMP at approximately 10:45 a.m. Sunday.
Coast Guard controllers immediately launched an auxiliary helicopter from St. Croix and an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Borinquen, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico to assist in the search.
Contacted at his office Tuesday, Coast Guard spokesman Ricardo D. Castrodad said Swords' co-worker could not reach him to pull him out of the water, and that when the rescue teams arrived, the body could not be found.
Since Sunday, Coast Guard rescue crews searched more than 550 square miles until the body was found Monday.

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