Iowa man drowns while on honeymoon in Florida

An Iowa man on his honeymoon drowned while swimming in Florida Tuesday.

It happened in the late afternoon at a beach near St. Augustine, Florida, when authorities were called to a swimmer in distress.

When authorities got to the scene, they saw paramedics loading Dalton Cottrell, 22, into the back of a truck to be taken to an ambulance, according to a press release.

Cottrell's wife told police she and her husband were on their honeymoon. She said it was his first time in the water.

They were in the ocean together when current pulled them in deeper.

"Cheyenne advised he began to struggle and she attempted to assist him but was unable to help due to him pulling her under," police said in a statement. "She advised at one point after him being under the water for approximately for a minute he came back up, and his eyes were rolled in the back of his head.

A nearby surfer told police he heard Cottrell yelling in the ocean, and grabbed his paddleboard to help. At that point, the witness got the attention of a lifeguard who performed CPR.

Cottrell, of Malcom, Iowa, was pronounced dead at Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine.