Clearwater dad dies after he and son are pulled from water, police say

A Clearwater man died at the hospital after he’d been rescued Friday night, following “trouble in the water” at Clearwater Beach, police said Saturday.

Rigoberto Romero, 49, and his 10-year-old son were near the jetty on the south part of the beach when they started struggling in the water, family members told public safety officials.

A spokesperson for Clearwater Police and Fire & Rescue said the swimmers were being swept into deeper water by wave action when they began calling for help. Emergency services responded around 7 p.m., and bystanders helped pull both swimmers ashore.

They were treated on the scene and taken to Morton Plant Hospital. Romero had “potential life-threatening injuries,” according to a news release. The spokesperson said he died less than an hour later.