A snorkeler trying to take advantage of the South Florida weather Friday is now in critical condition after they were hit by a five-engine powerboat.
The larger boat was on its way back from Bimini with three people on board when it hit the diver, who was with a group of snorkelers near the Haulover Marina docks. The injured snorkeler was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said there was some information that the group of snorkelers, including the one who got hit, may have seen the boat coming at them.
“Right now, our investigators are trying to piece all the pieces together, trying to get a better understanding of what happened and why this happened,” said Jorge Pino of the FWC. “We need to talk to everyone involved and also get physical evidence as to what happened.”
Pino said the preliminary indications are that the snorkelers had a dive flag up when they were in the water. The driver of the boat has not given a statement about the incident to FWC as of 4:30 p.m. His parents came to the scene with a lawyer, but left without speaking to the media.
The other snorkelers who weren’t hurt didn’t speak to the news media either.
