RedactedNarrative: I, Officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was patrolling the evening of November 5th, at approximately 1700 hours when I was contacted by FWC dispatch about a vessel actively taking on water.  It was first reported that the boat was located in the bayside of Saint George Island.  At the time I received this call I was at the intersection of Highway 98 and Highway 319, I also was trailering a vessel.  I informed dispatch that I would be responding to the call with my emergency lights and sirens activated.
  
  	Shortly after receiving the call I was again contacted by dispatch and told that the boat had sunk and multiple subjects were in the water.  I contacted FWC Officer who was in Carrabelle and told her to prepare our agency search and rescue boat located at the Moorings Marina in Carrabelle.  When I arrived at the Moorings I found Officer had the boat prepared and we immediately got underway.  Do to the life-threatening nature of the situation we responded in an emergency fashion through the Carrabelle River idle speed zone.  
  
  	As we were underway we were told by dispatch that the call was located in the bay south of the county school and Highway 65.  As we were arriving on scene we could see an overturned vessel in the water and another vessel alongside the overturned one.  Upon pulling alongside we discovered that a Franklin County Deputy who was in the Eastpoint area launched his own personal vessel to respond.  All the occupants of the overturned vessel were onboard the deputies boat.  
  
  	After confirming that no one was in need of medical assistance I identified the overturned vessel as FL 6778 RE.  I then attempted to interview the operator of the boat.  Upon speaking to Operator it immediately became apparent that there was a language barrier.  I then used my phone to contact FWC Officer 3 then communicated with Operator over the phone and translated for me.  operator said that he had just purchased the boat and this was his first time using it.  He had launched at the Island Boat Ramp and after running for a short time put the boat down and shut off the engine.  He then decided he was ready to return to the boat ramp, however he was unable to start the boat.  At this time he also noticed that the boat was taking on water.  He made sure everyone on board had a lifejacket on and began to fire his flares for help.  He was also able to call 911.  
  
  I then loaded Operator and his family onto my vessel and transported them all back to their car at the Saint George Island Boat ramp.  Prior to leaving the scene the deputy who responded elected to help right the sunken vessel and tow it back to the Eastpoint Boat Ramp rather than have Operator have to call a tow boat.
  
  After I got Operator and his family back to the dock I contacted Officer 3 to have him explain to Operator where his boat was.  I then drove my boat to the Eastpoint Boat Ramp to help load Operator’ boat onto the trailer.  
  
  	After loading the boat onto the trailer I was able to find some areas of the boat that were not seaworthy.  There was a large section of fiberglass on the starboard side stern that appeared to be bubbled and not water tight.  I did notice that the drain plug was in the vessel.  However I found that the scuppers at the stern of the vessel were locked open.  It is my conclusion that this caused the vessel to take on massive amounts of water when the operator stopped to fish.  This would also explain how the boat sunk in such a rapid fashion.  
  
  There appeared to be no other cause for the accident.  I have attached
  