The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is investigating a drowning. 

  • Drowning at Gandy Beach
  • Lino Gomez, 23, of Tampa later died at Tampa General Hospital
  • Deputies said Gomez fell off inflatable

According to deputies, 23-year-old Lino Gomez of Tampa drowned after he and his wife, Angela Perez, fell off an inflatable float just south of Gandy Beach in unincorporated St. Petersburg.

Deputies say a tidal current pushed Gomez and Perez's float into a deep channel that paralleled the beach just after 4 p.m. Saturday. As they were trying to paddle back to the beach, Gomez fell off the float into the water.

Perez tried to help Gomez back onto the float but she also fell into the water.

Deputies say Perez was able to grab onto the float but she lost sight of Gomez who was being swept out with the current.

Perez made it back to shore safely and flagged down a passing boater who helped search for Gomez.

The good Samaritan boater found Gomez floating face down in the water unresponsive. The boater brought Gomez back to shore when a second good Samaritan, 37-year-old Melissa Shaffer, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until paramedics arrived.

Paramedics responded and transported Gomez to Tampa General Hospital with life threatening injuries.

Gomez was pronounced dead Sunday at 2:10 a.m. 

Deputies said neither Gomez nor Perez knew how to swim.