Miami Marlins All-Star pitcher Jose Fernandez was killed in a boating accident Sunday, according to the team. He was 24.
Considered one of the best among young talents in Major League Baseball (MLB), Fernandez was found dead along with two other men after their 32-foot boat crashed while entering Miami Harbor, according to Lorenzo Veloz, Fish and Wildlife Commission public information officer.
Veloz told reporters at a press conference that Coast Guard personnel patrolling the area noticed the boat lying upside down. Divers found two of the bodies under the vessel, and the third out on the rocks.
The names of the other two individuals, who were also in their twenties, were being withheld until notification of family, he said.
Veloz described Fernandez's death as a loss to Miami, to baseball and people around him.
"He was pillar to our community, he was involved in everything that he could be to give back," he said. "I had the experience of talking to him several times, down-to-earth, great person ... I'm sorry I'm getting goosebumps right now, it's really hitting home and it's horrible."
A Cuban native, Fernandez defected to the U.S. with his mother and sister when he was just 15 years old.
During his escape on a rickety boat, he dived into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico to rescue a woman who had fallen overboard. When he reached her, he realized it was his mother.
Fernandez's death evoked emotional reactions from around the MLB.
The Marlins said the organization was "devastated" by the loss, and announced the cancellation of its game Sunday against the Atlanta Braves.
Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper tweeted he was "absolutely crushed and shocked", Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout was "absolutely devastated hearing about Jose".
MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred offered his condolences on behalf of the league and praised Fernandez.
“He was one of our game's great young stars who made a dramatic impact on and off the field since his debut in 2013,” he said.
