Two arrested in attempted human smuggling venture

Two men were arrested Monday at a Marathon boat ramp for attempting to travel to Cuba and return with migrants.

Victor Manuel Rios Castillo, 29, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was charged with attempted human smuggling.

Jorge Luis Fernandez Rodriguez, 53, of Tampa, Florida, was charged with transporting fuel illegally.

The Sheriff’s Office received a report at approximately 4:48 p.m. of a truck towing a boat blocking southbound traffic near Mile Marker 56. Deputies found the truck and trailer at the nearby Quay Boat Ramp. The trailer had a flat tire and a damaged rim. The cabin-style cruiser had three 55-gallon drums of fuel on board as well as a fuel transfer pump, satellite phone, a GPS with waypoints to Cuba, multiple gallons of marine oil, a large amount of water and soft drinks and numerous life jackets.

Rios Castillo admitted he was en route to Cuba for the purposes of human smuggling. Fernandez Rodriguez admitted he was aware of the fuel drums in the vessel he was towing.

The U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations also responded to the scene.

Man dies after snorkeling incident

A 74-year-old Fernandina Beach, Florida man died Monday after losing consciousness in the water while snorkeling off Key Largo.

Howard Bernard Tarlow was with Sundiver Snorkel Tours on the White Banks Dry Rocks reef when he lost consciousness in the water at approximately 12:49 p.m.

The boat crew began CPR immediately and brought him ashore at Homeowners Park to waiting paramedics. He was then taken to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier where he was pronounced dead.

Foul play is not expected to be a factor in the incident.

Autopsy results are pending.

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