World enews: Son of billionaire killed by boat propeller after jumping into water to save fiancée

The 31-year-old son of a billionaire died after being struck by a boat propeller when he jumped into the water after his fiancée during a Florida Keys fishing tournament.

Juan Carlos Escotet Alviarez died after jumping into the water after his fiancée fell into the ocean from their 60-foot vessel as they fished for sailfish about six miles east of the Ocean Reef Club in north Key Largo, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said.

The FWC said in a Sunday accident report that Mr Alviarez was struck by the propeller and died immediately after entering the water. He was taking part in the fishing competition organized by the reef club along with his partner, 30-year-old Andrea Montero.

The report from the FWC didn’t include information regarding the wellbeing of Ms Montero.

Ocean Reef, an exclusive gated community, was also in the news last week when 356 migrants from Haiti arrived in a large wooden boat just 200 yards away from the property. It was one of the largest migratory events in recent South Florida history, The Miami Herald reported.

Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional reported that Mr Alviarez was the son of billionaire Juan Carlos Escotet Rodriguez. He’s the president of the Venezuelan bank Banesco and the Spanish bank Abanca.

He also serves as the Vice-Chairman of the board of Banesco USA, the US division of the bank. His late son served as the director of the division, the company website states, adding that he also was the director of the Banesco International Corporation.

The website says he had “vast experience in real estate development in the Miami area” and that he was a “graduate of the University of Miami”.