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The Volusia County medical examiner has ruled that an alligator attack was the cause of a 62-year-old man’s death.
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials suspected an alligator was responsible for the deathat Blue Spring Park in Orange City, Florida.
James Okkerse's body was found Monday near the gator in a diving hole after he disappeared while swimming with friends.
Officers killed a 12-foot alligator that was near the body of James Okkerse, but officials did not say if the alligator attacked the man.
The swimming area of the spring was closed twice Sunday when the same alligator was spotted in the area, wildlife officials said.
Carol Anen and her husband were swimming with Okkerse.
"I went up to the hole to see where he was and I saw him floating along -- thought he was diving. When I got there, he totally disappeared," Anen said.
Anen said the three meet up weekly at the spring to swim for exercise.
"My husband said he saw a 9-foot gator. I saw a lot of disturbance in the water on my swim back and my husband yelled to me to get out of the water," Anen said.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office dive team searched the spring and found Okkerse floating toward the St. Johns River with the alligator still nearby.
