Articles Posted in Boating Accident

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A 44-foot yacht was destroyed in a blaze that broke out at a Key Largo marina ahead of the July Fourth weekend, according to officials with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

The fire broke out Thursday at the Anchorage Resort & Yacht Club in Key Largo. Thankfully, MCSO officials reported, no one was on board the boat at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. The blaze appeared to have been contained to the singular vessel and no further damage was reported.

No cause of the fire has been publicly released. Photos posted online by the MCSO show firefighters battling the blaze and the singed vessel immediately following the fire.

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At least one woman was taken to the hospital, and another person was injured after a boat crashed into a Florida Keys channel over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, according to local media.

The crash happened Sunday, July 5, around 3:20 p.m., reporters with The Miami Herald said. The vessel that the two were on crashed into the Harris Gap Channel Bridge on Sugarloaf Key. At least one other person was aboard the vessel at the time of the crash and was injured, according to Local 10 News.

The woman, whose name has not been released as of Monday, July 6, was taken to a hospital on the mainland for treatment. A spokesperson for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) told reporters that she had non-life-threatening injuries. It is unclear whether the second person required transport to a local hospital.

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“Florida is the boating capital of the world, but sadly, it is also the boating fatality capital of the world.”

These are the words of Partner Justin B. Shapiro of Leesfield & Partners. With decades of practice representing the injured individuals and grieving families of those involved in some of Florida’s most horrific boating and water-related incidents, our attorneys understand the magnitude of this pressing safety issue. From a young diver and father-to-be whose life was prematurely snuffed out by a negligent boater to the loss of a child’s leg while aboard a vessel, our skilled trial attorneys have seen just about every injury that can occur on the water. With this experience comes an increased vigilance toward the dangers, and the urgency to create positive change.

Last July, when Lucy’s Law—legislation named in honor of 17-year-old Luciana ‘Lucy’ Fernandez, who died in the 2022 Boca Chita boat crash—went into effect, our attorneys applauded the move and saw it as a sign for increased vigilance and safety on the water.

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A 56-year-old man snorkeling near Key West Sunday afternoon died after being found unconscious in the water on Sunday, May 10, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Benjamin Lee Millspaw, of Belmont, North Carolina, was swimming off Cottrell Key around noon when he was pulled from the water. Millspaw was with a commercial snorkeling company, officials said.

He was taken to the Lower Keys Medical Center and was pronounced dead.

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Boater in Deadly Biscayne Bay Hit-And-Run Crash Found, police say

Police say they have found the boat they believe was involved in a hit-and-run boat crash on Biscayne Bay that killed a father and injured his son last week in Miami, according to local media.

Police did not name the owner of the boat or say who was operating the vessel the night of the deadly crash.

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Conch fritters, reef-snorkeling excursions, and/or six-toed cats at the Hemingway house are likely the most-searched topics when researching Florida Keys vacations.

As tourists prepare their itineraries, activities for cranky children during drives across the iconic Seven Mile Bridge, and packing lists, the potential for injuries may not come to mind. In fact, it is likely the farthest thing from their minds when they picture sunning by the pool or taking that coveted first bite of Key lime pie. At Leesfield & Partners, a personal injury law firm in Florida with five decades of experience, our attorneys know just how often a vacation can be soured by an unexpected accident.

Whether it’s a seemingly harmless motorcycle ride that turns deadly or a parasailing excursion gone wrong, our attorneys work tirelessly to ensure they secure the best outcome for every client. We know that the legal system can be daunting and revisiting painful memories can seem like an impossible task, however, it is essential in the path toward justice. For many families affected by preventable injuries, accountability helps acknowledge their pain and can lead to meaningful change aimed at preventing others from suffering the same harm.

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At least four people were taken to the hospital after a boat hit a channel marker in the Florida Keys Friday afternoon, according to local media.

Emergency responders were called out to the crash around 4:45 p.m. of Tavernier where a boat had hit a channel marker and ejected at least six people. Other boaters in the area helped pull two people from the water, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

At least two of the four people who were injured were taken via helicopter to Jackson South Medical Center in Miami-Dade County and two others were taken to mariners Hospital in Tavernier.

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The search for a diver reported missing over the weekend was suspended Sunday, pending further information, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Ellen Ruth Domb, 79, of North Palm Beach, was reported missing following a dive Friday morning at the USNS Hoyt S. Vanderberg wreck off of Key West. In an online statement from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, officials said that Domb was separated from her dive buddy within minutes of entering the water. There were strong currents that day, according to the statement.

The 150-to-200-foot dive is a popular one, attracting thousands of divers annually. It is the second largest shipwreck in the world. The former missile tracking ship was intentionally sunk nearly seven miles south of Key West in 2009 to be used as an artificial reef, according to the Miami Herald.

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At least three people died over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend after a boat capsized on the Caloosahatchee River, according to reporting from News-Press.

At least one other person involved in the accident remained in “critical but stable condition” as of Monday morning.

The incident happened around 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, near the Cape Coral Yacht Club and involved an MTI 390 powerboat that flipped while carrying at least four people onboard.  All four were sent into the water.

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At least two people were injured over the weekend when the boat they were on hit a channel marker in the Florida Keys, according to reporting from ABC Channel 7 News.

The incident happened Sunday, Nov. 16, when the boat hit the 74A channel marker in Cowpens Cut, west of Plantation Key, the U.S. Coast Guard said in an online statement. The marker was missing from the structure immediately following this incident.

Both people aboard the vessel were rescued by a nearby Good Samaritan and were taken to the hospital.

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