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Body of 20-year-old diver at Eagle's Nest cave complex found 150 feet below the surface

Said Marjane and a few friends dove at least 15 times at Eagle's Nest but on the last dive, he did not resurface.
PHOTO: Hernando County Sheriff's Department

HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. -- The body of missing diver was found in the Eagle's Nest cave complex some 150 feet below the surface.

The Hernando County Sheriff's Office confirms a civilian dive team located and recovered the body of 20-year-old Said Marjane. He was found at a depth of 150 feet.

He would have turned 21 years old on July 25.

Eagle’s Nest is north of Weeki Wachee Springs.

Friends told authorities Marjane and five others arrived at the complex around 3 p.m. Wednesday. They had completed 15-20 free dives -- which involves the use of wetsuits, masks and weight belts but not air tanks -- during the next several hours but during the last dive, Marjane did not resurface.

He and another friend, Jacob Fernandez, had descended about 80 feet before Fernandez resurfaced.

Everyone else began to dive in search of Marjane and when they couldn't find him around 7 p.m., they called 911.

A responding civilian dive team found Marjane and brought him back to the surface, where he was pronounced dead.

The complex cave system has been the same site of several drownings over the past few years, including as recently as January. Since 1981, at least 11 people have been killed diving in the caves, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Several signs warn people of the danger of diving in the caves, and an even more ominous sign featuring the Grim Reaper appears at greater depths.

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