On 07/15/23 at approximately 12:00, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received a call from dispatch in reference to a boating accident that occurred offshore in the Atlantic Ocean earlier on this day. I made contact with the vessel owner/operator via telephone and he stated the following: OP1 stated that he was approximately 20 miles offshore and East of the Mayport Inlet when he deployed his I-pilot tolling motor and shut off the engines to begin fishing. He stated that en route to the fishing grounds that he and one of his occupants heard a rattling noise coming from the area of the outboard engines and that they determined it to be a control or steering arm that appeared to be coming disassembled. OP1 stated that they decided to attempt a repair of the issue before they began to fish and during that process the vessel took several waves over the starboard gunwale and became flooded. OP1 attempted to start the engines with negative results and began to hail Coast Guard on his VHF radio and deployed five flairs as the vessel was filling with water. The vessel capsized as it filled with water and OP1 and the two occupants were displaced into the water. All three men were wearing type II inflatable pfds which deployed on entry into the water. The three men were picked up quickly by a good Samaritan and taken to Morning star Marina at OP1's request. OP1 stated that all of the contents of the vessel were lost at sea to include a Smith and Wesson Hellcat firearm. The vessel remains capsized offshore and Coast Guard was notified and is broadcasting a mariners warning in reference to the vessel.
Atlantic Ocean
JACKSONVILLE                  