PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Three men conducting a photo shoot on a boat in a busy Florida river somehow went overboard, leaving the 24-foot vessel unmanned and out of control.
The three men told deputies that they accidentally fell into the St. Lucie River along Florida's Atlantic coast on Saturday, leaving the boat unmanned. It circled around the men numerous times, forcing them to dive underwater so it wouldn't run them over.
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UNMANNED OUT OF CONTROL BOAT GOES AIRBORN AFTER SMASHING INTO CONCRETE DOCK, ENDING DANGEROUS ORDEAL Three people reportedly doing a photo shoot aboard a boat—somehow fell overboard leaving the 24-foot vessel unmanned and out of control. The incident happened late Friday in the St. Lucie River, just south of the Stuart Causway. The three male occupants told MCSO Marine Deputies that they were forced to dive underwater numerous times, because the boat continued to circle around nearly running them over. They said the vessel eventually straightened itself out—then traveled at a high rate of speed hitting a concrete dock near the 1500 block of St. Lucie Boulevard. It then went airborne and hit a second dock before coming to a stop. MCSO Air-1 Pilot Justin Lundsteadt stayed over the vessel to direct marine units to the passengers. Meanwhile, Chief Pilot, Deputy Doug Newsom captured this unbelievale video. The occupants were able to swim to a nearby sailboat. One of the men suffered minor injuries. No other injuries were reported. The investigation into the cause of the incident has been turned over to FWC.
Posted by Martin County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, October 10, 2020
The boat then straightened out, hit a concrete dock, went airborne and hit a second dock before coming to a stop, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post.
The men were able to swim to a nearby sailboat. One had a minor injury, the sheriff's office said.
An investigation into the cause has been turned over to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.