Richmond Hill resident Bill Eberlein, a prehistoric-fossil collector and diver, went missing Tuesday morning in St. Catherines Sound and later was found alive, according to Liberty County Eastern District Volunteer Fire and Rescue firefighter Joe Cannon.
He had been diving with others for megalodon shark teeth and was presumed missing when he surfaced from a dive a far distance from his vessel. Eberlein was found more 3 miles out into the sea after spending 2½ hours awaiting rescue.
After the call came in around 11:30 a.m., the Liberty County Eastern District Volunteer Fire and Rescue, headed by Fire Chief Joe Martin, launched a boat to assist the Coast Guard in the search, according to Liberty County EMA Director and Fire Coordinator Mike Hodges.
After Eberlein was located, he was treated aboard a Sea Tow boat, Cannon said.