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Update: Man identified who died kite boarding south of Dewey

October 4, 2019

Updated 1:45 p.m., Oct. 7: Police have identified the man who died Oct. 4 after kite boarding south of Dewey Beach as Robert Swinson Jr., 48, of Bear, Del.

Swinson was at the bayside beach at Tower Road, a part of Delaware Seashore State Park, at 12:43 p.m. practicing kite boarding using only a harness and kite with no board, said Master Cpl. Melissa Jaffe of the Delaware State Police. He was standing in the water when heavy winds pulled him into deep water. Swinson’s father, who was on shore, called 911 and Fish and Wildlife police initiated a search of the area. At 1:37 p.m., Jaffe said, police found Swinson’s body along the shore south of the original location. 

The Delaware Division of Forensic Science was contacted to remove Swinson and conduct an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.

Jaffe said autopsy results are typically not released in cases like this unless the death was suspicious. 

“However in this case, there was nothing suspicious and all signs clearly point to an accident,” Jaffe said. 

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