V1-  was traveling east bound when the operator of the vessel struck a dredge pipe that was underwater causing damage to the lower unit and cracked the caulking. 
There was two occupants on the vessel, the operator and a passenger. 
No one was injured during the accident. 
The accident reportedly occurred on May 5th, 2023, about a quarter mile west of Marco Pass right on the outside of Hideaway Beach. There were no injuries sustained during the boating accident. The accident involved one vessel. The vessel is registered to a OP1.
I went to OP1's residence. To figure out what occurred on the day of the accident. When I arrived at OP1 residence, he advised me that he and a passenger were coming into the Marco River from Hideaway beach when they struck a dredge pipe about two hundred yards from the beach.
While at the residence I inspected the vessel and took pictures of the damages on my state issued agency telephone. I asked OP1 why he did not report the accident the day it happened, and he said that he called attempted to call the after-hours telephone number for Marco Island but figured they were closed. 
I informed OP1 that he could have called the non-emergency line for Marco Island Police department or call FWC. 
OP1, told to me that they went out fishing and they headed back at approximately 1900 hours he was traveling east bound coming around Hideaway Beach about two hundred yards from the beach when he hit a dredge pipe causing his motor to stop working. OP1 also told that they had to call Seatow since the damages sustained during the accident complete destroyed the vessel motor. 
While at OP1 residence he showed me a video on his telephone that he took of the dredge pipe clearly floating just below the surface with no markings or buoys on the dredge pipe. 
I tried to attain the video from OP1 but when sending it to me the video came out very grainy.

GULF
MARCO ISLAND                  