Diver who was exploring a World War II-era shipwreck off Florida is reported missing

A 39-year-old man, Virgil Price, went missing on Sunday after free diving near a World War II-era shipwreck off the coast of Florida. Price, a member of Florida Freedivers, failed to resurface from the area around the Halsey shipwreck, located about 13 miles southeast of Fort Pierce Inlet.

The Coast Guard and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office launched a search for Price, who was last seen wearing a green wetsuit with an orange stripe on the hood, yellow weights on his weight belt, and black carbon fiber fins. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office described diving as an inherently dangerous activity, emphasizing the risks involved in such underwater expeditions.

The Halsey shipwreck, built in 1920 and owned by American Petroleum Transport Corp., was en route from Corpus Christi, Texas to New York when it was struck by a torpedo during World War II. The ship split in half and burst into flames, with the crew members being rescued by fishing boats.

Today, the ship sits in three pieces on a sand bottom 65 feet underwater, with the bow and stern upright and the midsection upside down. The search for Virgil Price continues as authorities and his colleagues at Florida Freedivers hope for his safe return. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.