One vessel accident with 2 occupants. No injuries. The vessel began taking on water and sank in 6' of water.
On November 12, 2023, at approximately 1530 hours, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was on duty in Monroe County, State of Florida. I was in uniform, in a marked patrol vessel, patrolling Boot Key Harbor. I heard a distress call on the VHF radio pertaining to a vessel taking on water with two occupants onboard. I asked dispatch to contact US Coast Guard (USCG) to get details and to plot the location of the vessel. The vessel was sinking approximately a quarter mile northeast of Vaca Cut. I activated my emergency lights and began going in that direction. 
I arrived onscene at 1548. The owner/operator and the occupant were both uninjured and wearing Type II Personal Floatation Devices. The sinking vessel (V1) was roughly 50% submerged. I directed the two subjects to come onto my patrol vessel and V1, a black 22’ Angler, sank immediately afterward and rested on the bottom in approximately 6’ of water. There was a crack in the hull approximately 6’ long and the bottom edge of the starboard side hull, but there was no evidence of V1 impacting anything.
Op1 stated that V1 began to slow down while on plane and when he stopped to investigate the vessel began taking on water from the transom. V1 was being sea-trialed after getting a complete refit, including a new outboard engine and bracket. V1 had been in the water for three days prior to this event.

GULF OF MEXICO
MARATHON                      