Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Boating Mishap leads to Search and Rescue Operation off Miami Beach Coast.
By: Perazzo Law – Serving Boating Accident Victims in Miami
Friday Night: A search and rescue operation got underway when a man was able to swim to shore after the boat he was on began to sink. The Coast Guard, the Miami Fire Department, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, and Miami-Dade Police responded to the distress call quickly after it came in a little after 10 p.m. Apparently, the boat the men were sailing in sprung a leak, and three men had to abandon ship. One of the men was able to make it back to shore while the other two were set adrift along the ocean current. Fortunately, the Coast Guard was able to locate and rescue one of the two men in Biscayne Bay, while the other man was rescued by the Miami Fire Rescue Unit after spending an hour in the water. The latter experienced cardiac arrest but is reported to be in good condition despite his life-threatening ordeal at sea. Both men suffered no serious injuries and were taken to hospital for examination. The cause of the accident remains to be determined. According to official statistic reports, there were 2,629 boating accident related injuries in the USA in 2017, with 658 reported fatalities. Miami boating mishaps may usually involve inexperienced boat operators at the helm while under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. First and foremost, boaters or anyone on a boat, must know that lifejackets save lives. Sadly, 80% of boat related fatalities are the result of drowning; lifejackets prevent people from drowning. Sailing at night requires special added care. Inexperienced boaters have the misconception that spotlights work just like headlights at night. However, headlights are practically useless at sea cause boats may approach another vessel from any direction as boating is a three dimensional navigational activity. Furthermore, headlights create shadows that can disorient those at the helm, and boats can’t just hit the brakes either. It takes a lot more time to stop a boat or quickly swerve to dodge a boat that appears out of the blue over a breaking wave.