Middletown Police Investigate Possible Drowning

Middletown Police are investigating a possible drowning at Sachuest Point.

When police arrived, the Middletown Fire Department was performing CPR on the victim, later identified as 57-year-old Jose Fernandez. Mr. Fernandez was in a wet suit. He was transported to Newport Hospital.

A companion to the victim was alerted when he saw that Mr. Fernandez's dive flag was not moving after he had entered the water. He swam over and saw Mr. Fernandez at the bottom and pulled him to the surface and shore. He estimates that Mr. Fernandez was in the water no longer than 5 minutes.

According to other witnesses, Fernandez swam out 40 yards and came up for air once and they didn't see him again until he was pulled out.