Photo: Christopher E. Ruggiero
Three people were injured, including two trauma alerts, when their 25-foot catamaran flipped over several times and partially sank in the Intracoastal Waterway near Summa Beach Park in West Palm Beach, responding local agencies and a witness told WPBF.
The park is located at 7422 S. Flagler Drive, about 1 1/2 miles south of the Southern Boulevard bridge. The incident occurred around 9 a.m. about 200 yards from the shore, Battalion Chief Estefan Villalobos told WPBF.
Christopher Ruggeriero, who lives nearby, exclusively told WPBF he witnessed the boat flip three times as he was walking along the Intracoastal when he heard the boat speeding by, then saw it go out of control.”
“I Just heard it, boom, boom, boom, and looked over, and this, this boat was tumbling,” Ruggeriero, who provided images to WPBF, said. “Probably going about 70, 80 miles an hour and looked over, saw the boat tumbling, and two or three people flying out of the boat, flying through the air, landing in the water.
He added: “I knew it was terrible. I saw people flying through the air. It was very serious.”
Ruggeriero said debris ended farther down the waterway, showing how hard the boat crashed.
He called 911 after the accident.
Several West Palm Beach Fire Department units responded about 9 a.m. The Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife is the lead agency with the city’s police department, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue assisting.
FWC said three occupants were ejected. The exact injuries have not been confirmed.
Villalobos said all three patients were taken by ground to St. Mary’s Medical Center.
He said the police department had boats in the water from the boat show last week and were able to move the people to shore.
Divers were available if needed, he said.
“It looked like the current was pretty fast and it was pretty windy when I got there,” Villalobos said, adding the vessel was drifting farther south.
FWC said it is an active investigation.
The boat, which launched from Phil Foster Park, was moved by Sea Tow to Bryant Park in Lake Worth Beach then FWC’s Jupiter location. A representative with the company told WPBF the boat was green and a 25-foot customized Liberator.
The catamaran can reach speeds exceeding 100 mph, according to Liberator Boats, the manufacturer. The vessels weigh 2,200 pounds, including two 49-pound gasoline tanks.
Randy Corson, a dealer in Daytona Beach, told WPBF he customizes the boats but didn’t sell the one involved.
His website shows one like the one in the accident that is for call for $174,000.
Corson said he has been driving them for 25 years and knows of no issues.
“I’ve never had a problem with them or of my customers a problem with any kind of boat issues.”
Ruggeriero said it’s a “good reminder that every time you are out there, anything can happen at any time.”
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Source: wpbf
