The son of a billionaire banker died while trying to save his fiancée when she fell off their boat during a fishing competition in Florida over the weekend.
Juan Carlos Escotet Alviarez, 31, died after he attempted to rescue his fiancée, Andrea Montero, 30, when she fell off the stern of their 60-foot boat on Saturday, the Miami Herald reported.
The couple were anglers, catching sailfish as part of the event, hosted by the Ocean Reef Club, an exclusive gated community in north Key Largo.
Immediately after jumping into the water, Alviarez was hit by the propeller and died from his injuries, the FWC said in an accident report on Sunday.
Montero was able to stay clear of the boat’s propellers, officials said.
She did, however, hit her head. It’s unclear whether she sustained her injuries while falling off the boat or when crew pulled her back aboard using a floatation ring.
South Florida, where the event was located, experienced high winds and high seas over the weekend, making for a difficult rescue mission.
Alviarez is the son of billionaire Juan Carlos Escotet Rodriguez, the Venezuelan newspaper, El Nacional, reported.
The elder Rodriguez is the founder of the Caracas-based banking group, Banesco, and has a net worth of $3.5 billion. He built his fortune while working as a messenger for Banco Union when he was 17, according to Forbes.
Escotet Alviarez’s family released a statement following the tragic accident.
‘During a fishing tournament, Juan Carlos Escotet Alviarez’s fiancée fell into the water and he jumped in to save her. While she was able to return to the boat safely, Juan Carlos was hit by the propeller and did not survive the injury. His family asks for privacy and respect from the press during this very difficult time as they grieve this tremendous loss. Thank you.’
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