Fatal Powerboat Accident in Florida Keys Leaves One Dead, Several Injured
KEY WEST – A tragic powerboat accident in the Florida Keys on Thursday afternoon resulted in one fatality and several injuries, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
At approximately 4 p.m., FWC officers were notified of a single-vessel accident in Monroe County, near Key West. The incident involved a 39-foot Deep Impact vessel with operator Reinaldo Aquit, 47, of Miami Beach, and seven passengers. The group was traveling from Miami to Key West when the vessel overturned in Calda Channel.
The boat reportedly made a sharp right turn before rolling over, causing six people to be ejected into the water. Good Samaritans on nearby boats quickly assisted the victims, pulling them from the water and providing aid until help arrived. The victims, including Aquit, were transported to local hospitals for treatment.
One of the passengers, identified as 28-year-old Stephanie Rodriguez of Hialeah, succumbed to her injuries. On Friday, her family shared tributes to her on a fundraising platform, describing her as a “kind, loving, and playful person whose warmth touched everyone she met.” The post went on to say, “To know her was to love her. Her sudden departure has left her family and friends heartbroken and struggling to comprehend this immense loss.”
Rodriguez’s brother spoke to CBS News Miami, expressing their grief after learning of her death late Thursday night. The family is seeking additional details about the circumstances surrounding the tragic accident.
While initial reports from FWC indicated five people were ejected from the vessel, a Friday night update clarified that the boat had been involved in a powerboat race at the time of the incident. The race’s specific conditions have not yet been disclosed, but the vessel’s sudden movement and subsequent crash into a sandbar appear to have played a role in the accident.
The tragic event in the Florida Keys comes just months after another fatal boating incident in the area. In August, a Miami man and a 9-year-old boy died when their Yamaha personal watercraft crashed into a seawall in Marathon.
Stu Jones, president and founder of the Florida Powerboat Club, expressed his condolences, saying, “On behalf of Florida Powerboat Club members and our extended Florida boating community, we remain in shock over this recent tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers go to the families of Ms. Rodriguez and those injured, and we pray for the quick recovery of those currently hospitalized.”
FWC officials are continuing to investigate the cause of the accident, and more details are expected to be released in the coming days.
