MOBILE, Ala. — A 30-year-old Mobile man drowned in Mobile Bay near McNally Park after he went into the water to retrieve a cast net that had been lost during a family fishing outing, according to the Mobile Police Department and Mobile Fire-Rescue Department.
Police identified the man as Alexis Cardona. Authorities said Cardona, described by officials as Hispanic, had been fishing from the area near the park with his partner and children when his cast net came off and drifted away. Family members told rescuers that when he swam out to recover the net, he never resurfaced.
Witnesses on the scene dove into the water in an attempt to reach him, making several attempts before he was located. Mobile Fire-Rescue crews responded to the waterfront park, which sits on the bay near Pinto Pass north of downtown Mobile, and launched a search that lasted roughly an hour before his body was recovered. Three boats took part in the effort to locate him.
Emergency response
Mobile Public Safety Director James Barber confirmed the drowning the evening of July 22, 2020. Police said officers would handle the investigation going forward once the recovery was complete. Officials did not indicate any suspicion of foul play, describing the incident as an apparent drowning.
The death underscored the hazards of swimming in Mobile Bay, where currents, boat traffic and sudden drop-offs near channel edges can quickly overwhelm even strong swimmers. Safety officials routinely urge anglers retrieving lost gear to wear a personal flotation device rather than enter the water unaided.
Anyone who sees someone struggling in the water is encouraged to call 911 immediately and, if possible, throw a flotation device or rope rather than attempting a rescue swim.