A body found early Monday morning is believed to be a man who went missing Sunday in Ponte Vedra Beach.
29-year-old Robert Hickson of Jacksonville was at Guana State Park Sunday evening with family. According to police, another family member was in the ocean and appeared to be in distress.
Hickson attempted to assist and, according to witnesses, he went under and disappeared.
The Coast Guard launched rescue crews aboard a 29-foot Response Boat — Small from Station Mayport and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Savannah.
Deputies with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Beach Patrol Unit located a body early Monday morning in the surf. The location of the recovery was about 1.5 miles south of the North parking lot of the Guana State Park and about 1⁄4 mile south of where the victim was last seen early Sunday evening.
A positive ID and cause of death will be determined by an autopsy by the District Medical Examiner.
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