KEY LARGO, Fla. – A man from Pittsburgh died Monday morning while diving off Key Largo on the wreck of the Duane, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office reported.
Andrei Kukushkin, 51, was aboard a private boat with his friends about 10:30 a.m. and had been diving around the wreck for about 30 minutes when the group began coming back to their boat.
Deputies said Kukushkin began having trouble as he surfaced. They said his friends reached out to grab him, but "he stopped moving, turned on his side and began to drift away."
Deputies said one of the divers jumped off the boat and was able to bring Kukushkin back onboard, where they began performing CPR.
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials took over after Kukushkin was brought back to shore at Harry Harris Park.
He was then taken to Mariner's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities said an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
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