In a tragic turn of events, Tampa police divers successfully recovered the lifeless body of Captain Curtis Lee Cowling on Sunday night from the sunken shrimp boat, Miss Jordi. The 63-foot vessel succumbed to severe weather conditions over the weekend, sending shockwaves through the tight-knit shrimp community.

The 69-year-old captain, who both lived on and commanded the Miss Jordi, was last seen around 11 p.m. on Saturday. The vessel met its untimely demise along the Tampa shrimp docks, leading to a coordinated effort by authorities to address the aftermath of the incident.

Reports of a sunken vessel in the 2600 block of Causeway Boulevard near McKay Bay reached the Tampa police on Sunday morning. Upon investigation, the Miss Jordi was found submerged, posing immediate challenges for dive teams due to the leakage of several thousand gallons of diesel fuel into the water.

It wasn’t until 10:30 p.m. on Sunday that divers were able to retrieve Captain Cowling’s body. The contaminated water hampered initial efforts to approach the vessel, but the dedicated divers persisted to carry out their mission.

The spill of diesel fuel was contained to the McKay Bay area, emphasizing the prompt response of authorities to minimize environmental impact. The United States Coast Guard took charge of the cleanup efforts, ensuring that the situation was swiftly brought under control.

Despite the distressing circumstances surrounding the sinking of the Miss Jordi, police have ruled out foul play in Captain Cowling’s death. The cause of his demise remains under investigation, and authorities are diligently working to determine the factors that led to the tragic incident.

The shrimp community, already close-knit in nature, mourns the loss of Captain Cowling, a seasoned professional in the industry. Daulton Donini, who recently shared a meal with Cowling at his father’s shrimp packing business, Superior Seafoods, Inc., reflected on the captain’s extensive experience and connections within the local maritime community.

“He knows everybody,” Donini said of Cowling. “He’s been down here working for boats since I’ve been a little kid. Since my dad’s been a little kid.”