A suspected boat explosion at a Miami sandbar sent at least 11 people to the hospital on Saturday, with some suffering from burns and traumatic injuries, according to Juan Arias, the Miami Dade fire rescue battalion chief.
Incident Details
First responders received reports around 12:45 pm of a possible boat explosion on the water, Arias told WPEC 12. It is unclear what caused the blast, which occurred onboard a charter boat with about 14 people, according to NBC 6 South Florida.
Investigation Underway
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the incident, according to the Associated Press. The Haulover Sandbar, located in shallow waters, attracts hundreds of spring breakers and vacationers each year. It is a popular boating destination, and kayakers also frequent the area.
Patrick Lee, a local businessman, was driving people onboard his boat to another vessel during the blast, he told the Miami Herald. “When we looked back out, we saw three people flying off the boat in a puff of smoke,” Lee said.
