MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Rescue crews worked to save three people after their boat rammed into a jetty near Miami Beach, Friday night.
According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, the crash took place near South Pointe Pier Park.
A man and his son said they were on the water when they saw the boat go airborne.
“That jetty is visible. There’s no way that they shouldn’t have seen it,” said Jett Forsythe, the younger witness.
The witnesses said the force of the impact caused the vessel to almost overturn, leaving them stranded on top of the jagged rocks on Government Cut.
“He hit at probably 40 miles an hour, jumped the boat out of the water completely. Insane,” said Jett.
“The boat shot, I would probably say 60, 70-degree angle straight out of the water,” said his father, Jeff Forsythe. “Motor’s screaming, and it slammed down to the rocks.”
Video recorded at the scene captured the frightening moments a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue swimmer was forced to battle the dangerous current in order to reach the victims.
“The boat was actually at an angle, and you could see one individual lying down,” said Jeff. “They said everybody was OK, but you could tell they were very disoriented.”
The boaters were taken to the U.S. Coast Guard base in Miami Beach. From there, crews took one of the victims to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
The other two passengers suffered minor scrapes and bruises.
Crews later removed the damaged boat.
The vessel crashed near where Miami Marlins pitcher, Jose Fernandez and two others died in 2016. Toxicology reports said Fernandez had alcohol and cocaine in his system, but his family attorney claimed he was not operating the boat.
The Forsythes urged other boaters to use caution. “People coming in screaming at 60 miles an hour, buzzing that jetty, if you don’t know if the tide is high or low, you’re just asking for problems,” said Jeff.
Friday’s crash remains under investigation.
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