Body of Jet Ski driver found off Water Mill

A body found floating off Water Mill Tuesday afternoon has been identified as the man missing since he fell off his personal watercraft Sunday, Southampton police said.

The body of Eleuterio Ubisse, 29, of Astoria, was spotted off Cobb Road by local residents about 12:28 p.m. Tuesday in Mecox Bay, where he and a woman passenger were thrown off their Jet Ski about 6:45 p.m. Sunday, police said.

The woman, who was not wearing a life vest, had made it back to the watercraft Sunday and a passing boater rescued her, but authorities were still searching for Ubisse when police were notified of "something suspicious" in the bay Tuesday, police said. The body was recovered and later identified as Ubisse.

Ubisse, who operated the Jet Ski, also did not wear a life vest, said Southampton Det. Sgt. Lisa Costa. "He was seen for a short time and then was lost in the water," she said.

Investigators are looking into what exactly caused the accident Sunday, she said.

"They were seen to be doing maneuvers out on the bay before they lost control of the Jet Ski and were thrown from it," Costa said.

The Suffolk County medical examiner's office will do an autopsy, police said.

Ubisse's disappearance led to a multiagency search, and a command post was set up near the bay, police said. Divers and sonar equipment were used, along with Suffolk police helicopters, Costa said. Several local fire departments, Suffolk County sheriffs and Southampton Town bay constables also joined the search, police said.