On April 4th, 2022, at approximately 1908 hours, a single vessel incident was reported on the St. John’s River near the Leroy Wright Public Boat Ramp in Brevard County, Florida. A Good Samaritan vessel located an unoccupied airboat with the motor still running. The victim was located unresponsive underneath the airboat. The witnesses who located the vessel called 911 for help and waited for law enforcement to arrive. Law enforcement arrived and found the victim with no pulse and purplish-blue discolored skin. Law enforcement began documenting the scene. The victim and airboat were recovered from the scene. The victim was turned over to the Brevard County Medical Examiner’s Office for their investigation. 

PRE-INCIDENT

	Operator launched V1 from the Lone Cabbage Boat Ramp and navigated north onto the St. John’s River sometime around 1200 hours. Operator sent a text message at 1243 hours saying he was on the river fishing. He rode north on the river for approximately 6 miles to the area known as “Possum Bluff”. Operator sent a text message containing a picture of the Possum Bluff area at 1447 hours. Operator stayed in the area of Possum Bluff for an unknown amount of time before operating V1 back south on the St. John’s River. Operator traveled approximately 1.5 miles south on the river to where V1 struck the black iron pipe.

INCIDENT
  
While V1 was being operated south direction at an unknown speed, it struck a black iron pipe (shaped like a hockey stick). The pipe was buried in the ground approximately 3 feet with the remaining 12 inches bent almost 90°. The pipe was oriented north, with the end right at water level. When V1 struck the pipe, Operator was ejected from V1 into the water.

POST-INCIDENT
	
	V1 continued approximately 15 feet before coming to a stop in a southward orientation resting partially on top of Operator. V1’s motor continued to run after the allision ejected Operator.

	At approximately 1906 hours, V1 was located by a Good Samaritan vessel. Operator was pulled from underneath V1 unresponsive. 911 was called and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and FWC responded to the scene.

Operator and V1 were recovered from the scene by FWC. Operator was turned over to the Brevard County Medical Examiner’s Office.

CONCLUSION

Based on the evidence and information gathered to date, I have concluded the incident was not caused by careless or reckless operation. The incident was due to Operator striking a submerged object, a black iron pipe, while underway at a speed sufficient enough to eject Operator upon impact. 

The interaction between V1 and the pipe left a 4-foot gouge in V1’s polyurethane sheet. The broken rudder control handle is believed to have been caused by Operator holding onto it as he was ejected from V1. The handle broke at the welded joint. 

No damage located on the vessel would indicate another vessel was involved in this incident. The speed of V1 could likely be considered a contributing factor to the incident given the force needed to cause the damage and to eject Operator. However, the incident would have likely still occurred at a slower speed because the pipe was at water level and likely would not have been seen. It is not believed that the presence of a kill switch (if worn) would have changed the outcome of the incident.

Operator was located under V1 by a Good Samaritan and was found face down and deceased in approximately 3-4 inches of water.  The exact amount of time between the incident and V1 being located is not known. Operator’s last outgoing text was sent 1558 hours and V1 was located at 1907 hours.


Operator did not have any observed external injuries. The victim was found with no pulse and was unresponsive. The victim’s skin showed liver mortis on the front side of his body, consistent with his position when found. The victim’s skin was waterlogged and cold to the touch. The victim was turned over to

St. John's River
COCOA                         