Man killed in airboat accident

Body of man found after airboat accident

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Florida Fish and Wildlife officers said they found the body of a man who disappeared after he went out on an airboat Saturday.

Officials said the son of 61-year-old Ralph "Danny" Oliver called 911 after his father did not return from being on the St. John's River on an airboat.

Officials said FWC officers responded to the area of State Road 407 and State Road 528 to start their search around 11 p.m. Saturday.

Officials said the airboat was located, but they could not find Oliver. A search was conducted all night and around 9:30 a.m. Sunday, the body of Oliver was found near the boat ramp.

Officials are continuing their investigation and have not released the cause of the accident.

Sunday, friends gathered at one of his favorite hangouts, the Lone Cabbage, which sits along the St. John's River.

"It's just really been a bad day," said Jenny Cooley, a restaurant server and lifelong friend of Oliver. "You keep thinking he's going to walk in the front door with his air boat parked and say, 'Jenny, I need a drink,' or 'what do you want to make me today?'"

"He was going what he loved doing -- air boating," said friend Dale Fowler. "That's how he went out."

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About the Author:

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

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