17-Year-Old Girl Dies, 11 Others Injured After 29-Foot Boat Hit Channel Marker In Florida Keys
A 17-year-old girl was killed and 11 people were injured Sunday in a boat collision near the Florida Keys.
The boat struck a channel marker causing 12 students and two adults to be ejected. The crash happened at about 6:30 p.m. near Boca Chita Key in Biscayne Bay.
Luciana Fernandez died Monday due to severe injuries from the crash, according to officials.
"All 14 occupants, which included 12 juveniles and two adults, were ejected from the vessel," the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement.
All of the students on the boat were 17 years old.
"Good Samaritans and multiple responding agencies recovered the occupants from the water and transported them to land and ultimately to hospitals to receive medical attention if necessary," the statement read.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said 11 of the 14 people on the boat suffered injuries. Four of those people were airlifted to a hospital after suffering traumatic injuries.
Fernandez was a senior in high school at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami.
"It is with great sadness that we share the news of senior Lucy Fernandez's passing, following injuries sustained in a boating accident yesterday. Known for her smile, larger than life personality and signature laugh," the school said in a statement on Facebook.
"Lucy was a joy to all who knew her and a shining light at our school. The hundreds of people who joined us in the grotto this evening, to pray for the repose of her soul, are a testament to her beautiful legacy of faith, love and sisterhood," the school said.
George Ignacio Pino, 51, a Miami businessman and civic leader, and his wife Cecilia Pino, were aboard the boat, according to reports.
The 14 people on the boat were said to have been celebrating a birthday.
The crash does not appear to be alcohol-related, according to investigators.
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