FWC identifies 2 men hospitalized after being ejected from boat in Biscayne Bay
FWC identifies 2 men hospitalized after being ejected from boat in Biscayne Bay
The incident happened near Matheson Hammock Marina. Video captured by Chopper 6 showed the boat sinking, almost fully submerged.
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Officials have identified the two men who were hospitalized Friday after their boat made an “abrupt turn” and ejected them.
Authorities said they received a call about a boat sinking and two people in the water.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the 24’ Power Catamaran was leaving Matheson Hammock State Park when the incident occurred.
Witnesses say they saw the boat lift into the air, spin and sink out in Biscayne Bay.
Video captured by Chopper 6 showed the boat sinking, almost fully submerged.
The two male passengers, Francisco Cordero II, 54, and Ruskin Passaro, 49, were retrieved from the water by good Samaritans in the area and transported to a local hospital, FWC says.
A relative said Cordero was breathing with the help of a ventilator.
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The incident happened during a regularly scheduled meetup of high-performance boaters who go out into the bay, witnesses told NBC6.
“You just gotta be careful and wear your vest, and be careful, because anything can happen out there,” said witness Josue Rodriguez.
The Miami-Dade Police and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are still investigating.