BODY FOUND IN GULF COULD BE OF MISSING BOATER

OFFICIALS RECOVERED THE BODY OF A MAN FOUND FLOATING IN BOCA GRANDE PASS YESTERDAY MORNING, FOUR DAYS AFTER TERRY REID OF PORT CHARLOTTE FELL OFF A FISHING BOAT IN THE SAME AREA AND DISAPPEARED FRIDAY.  A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION SAID THE BODY WAS THAT OF A BLACK MAN AS REID WAS, AND IT WAS TAKEN TO THE LEE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE FOR IDENTIFICATION.  REID WAS FISHING IN A 17 FOOT BOAT IN TWENTY KNOT WINDS AND ROUGH SEAS FRIDAY WITH ANTHONY JACKSON OF NORTH PORT AND JACKSON’S 8-YEAR OLD SON WHEN A WAVE KNOCKED THE TWO ADULTS OFF OF THE BOAT.  JACKSON SWAM ASHORE AND HIS SON RODE IN ON THE BOAT UNTIL IT BEACHED ITSELF ON THE GULF SIDE OF THE SOUTH END OF GASPARILLA ISLAND.  JACKSON TOLD INVESTIGATORS HE TRIED TO HELP REID, WHO WAS STRUGGLING TO SWIM AND DIDN’T HAVE A LIFE JACKET ON.