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Bodies of two teens found in gulf
By MATTHEW WAITE and JOY DAVIS-PLATT
A crab fisherman found Zak Lukas and Jason Lewis, both 16 and from Brooksville, in the water near the Polaris watercraft that carried them into the gulf Saturday afternoon. Investigators found part of a crab trap stuck in the water intake manifold, which likely disabled the engine. Family members told Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers that Lukas and Lewis went out Saturday at 2 p.m. from Aripeka, just north of Hudson near the Pasco-Hernando line. Family members reported the teens missing after dark, said wildlife Lt. Clyde Jordan. Coast Guard aircraft from Clearwater and boats from Yankeetown and Sand Key began looking Saturday night at 11 and wildlife commission officers went out in boats Sunday at daybreak. Jordan said Sunday morning that what killed the teens is under investigation, but no foul play is suspected. The Hernando County Medical Examiner's Office was determining the exact cause of death, but hypothermia, an extreme chilling of the body, was suspected. Authorities were unsure when or how the teens became separated from the watercraft. Jordan said the water temperatures was around 60 degrees and the teens were wearing only wearing swim trunks and life vests. According to hypothermia charts, which estimate how long an average person can survive in water, the teens would likely have survived as long as six hours in the water, if they remained still. Swimming or moving only hastens the loss of body heat and the onset of hypothermia. Jordan said commission investigators would examine exactly what happened to the watercraft.
The craft was towed onto shore and put on a rack at a nearby marina. Investigators were looking at the underside Sunday morning. "Once we get a look at it, we'll be able to tell better," Jordan said. Family members of the teens gathered at the public boat ramp at Hudson Beach on Sunday morning, where wildlife officers brought the teens' bodies to shore. As news spread, friends of the teens started arriving. All were distraught, hugging one other and crying in the boat trailer parking lot. Family members would not talk publicly about the teens Sunday. A friend, Chris Ramsey, said though tears that the two teens were good swimmers. "They were some really good kids," Ramsey said as he left to be with the families. Both attended Hernando High School. Principal Elaine Sullivan said Sunday it will take strength for Hernando High to push past the shock of the deaths. "I'm not looking forward to the announcement I'll have to make tomorrow morning," she said. "Both young men were just so well liked. Each was unique and had a special personality." Sullivan said the teens were good students who were close to their families, and had earned the affection and respect of their classmates. "They were such an important part of the school family," she said. "They were such kind young men. Always trying to do the right thing." Sophomore Bret Chatman ran cross country with Lukas. He said Lukas worked harder than anyone else on the team. "He was a good kid," said Chatman, 16. "Whatever they asked him to do, he would do." Near the end of the running season, Lukas was so excited about the prospects for next year's team that he started running on his own. But that didn't mean Lukas had no time for fun. "He liked the girls," Chatman said with a chuckle. "He was funny and he liked to go out a lot. Everybody liked him." Hernando High School soccer coach John Bifulco was looking forward to the rest of the season with Lukas and Lewis paired on the field. The Leopards are a relatively young team as far as skill and experience go, but Bifulco was hoping Lukas would be able to turn that around. An all-conference runner last season, Lukas joined the team after his cross country season ended about a week ago. The junior started out as a forward, but switched to sweeper, the last line of defense before the goalie. "Zak was my best player," Bifulco said. "We were struggling the first couple of matches, but he got in there and really made it happen." Lewis was the team's goalie and someone Bifulco says teammates looked up to. "You couldn't ask for a kid that nice to be your own son," said Bifulco. "If the Lord is putting together a soccer team, he's got a good start."
Fighting hypothermiaIn addition to wearing a life jacket, the U.S. Coast Guard recommends these tactics to fight hypothermia in the water: Get as much of your body out of the water as possible. If your vessel has capsized, get on top of it. The body will cool as much as 30 times faster in the water than out of it. If you are by yourself, keep your arms close to your chest, with your legs crossed and pulled up protecting the groin area. If you are with someone, huddle together to share body heat. Unless conditions are favorable and you are close to shore or a vessel, do not attempt to swim. Stay as still as possible. Swimming increases heat loss by 35 percent to 40 percent. Stay with your vessel. It is always easier to see a boat in the water than a person's head. -- Source: U.S. Coast Guard
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The vehicle, registered to Lukas' mother, had water inside it, which could have swamped it, said, authorities said. Pasco Sheriff's Lt. Skip Stone, whose deputies were assisting wildlife officers and Hernando sheriff's deputies, said watercraft such the one the teens were on are designed not to sink completely, but they become difficult to sit on or control when they are swamped.
