Lake Eloise missing boaters: Names and ages of passengers on board revealed as Polk County Sheriff releases statement

On Saturday, two men went missing from a boat on Lake Eloise. Due to an anchor mishap, the duo went astray. Grady Judd, the Polk County Sheriff released a statement on Sunday, March 19, 2023, announcing that the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office will continue their search for the two adults.

Winter Haven, Florida-natives Orlando Ortiz (32) and Velcky Velasquez (38) were celebrating their one-year anniversary on Saturday. They were accompanied by their friend Jeffrey Marrero (34), and his daughters, who are 10 and 8 years old respectively.

Grady Judd revealed that Velasquez took the boat’s anchor and jumped into Lake Eloise in an attempt to secure the anchor. However, she did not notice that the rope was not tied to the boat. As the water vehicle started to drift away, Ortiz and Marrero jumped into the water to save Velasquez.

In a news conference, Sheriff Judd revealed that it was believed that while the two men were good swimmers, Velasquez was much better.

At one point, Velasquez noted that the two men were struggling to stay afloat. One of Jeffrey's daughters proceeded to call the police around 4 pm. Speaking about the child who made the call, Judd said:

“I give a great deal of credit to the 10-year-old who had the wherewithal to take one of the cell phones on board and immediately dial 911”

A boater near Lake Summit went to help those in need at Lake Eloise. They managed to rescue the two children and Velasquez.

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Two missing men at Lake Eloise are believed to have drowned

Wesh reported that deputies believe that Ortiz and Marrero may have drowned in Lake Eloise. Due to prior history and the cold temperate in and outside of the lake waters, it is possible that the two men must have passed away. Judd also stated that recovering their bodies will be challenging. The two were not found at the time of writing this article.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, PCSO Marine Unit, and Seminole County deputies will reportedly search the lake until both men are found. It has also been revealed that the fire department will be helping in the search. Judd revealed:

“We are searching for these two missing gentlemen as if they were our brothers or our children and we will continue to look for them."

It was also announced that Lake Eloise will be closed to the public until the search is complete.

The Legoland theme park close to Lake Eloise put out a statement after news of the two men missing started to make headlines. They revealed that the case was “not connected to us in any way.”

They went on to add that a boardwalk next to the theme park’s hotel was being used as police officials’ command center. They also added:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time.”

Family and friends of the two missing men now await an update from law enforcement.