Officers stated that Luciana Fernandez, 17, a high school senior, had died, and seven others were injured after a boating accident close to Boca Chita Island off Miami on Sunday evening.
On Sunday, At around 6:30 p.m, a 29-foot Robalo boat with 14 people onboard struck a channel marker in the Intracoastal Waterway at the south end of Cutter Bank, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said during a statement.
All 14 occupants, which included 12 teens and adults, have been ejected from the vessel,” the statement read. “Good Samaritans and some people of responding agencies rescued the occupants from the water and transported them to land and in the end to hospitals to receive medical attention if necessary.”
Alcohol is not believed to have contributed to this accident, the commission stated.
Our Lady of Lourdes Academy’s school recalled her “lovely smile” in sharing the information about her death. She is known for her smile, significant than life character and signature laugh; Lucy was a pleasure to all who knew her and a shining light at our school,” the school stated in a statement on Facebook.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Lucy’s dad, mom, younger brother, and her family and friends, and we share in their grief at these points of this time of great loss.”
The fish and wildlife commission stated that seven others were injured in the accident, including two adults and five 17-year-olds. Their conditions are not known.
The six other people on the boat were all 17 years old and uninjured.
Most of these onboard were Our Lady of Lourdes Academy students and Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, all-girls Catholic schools in Miami-Dade County.
The fish and wildlife commission will continue to investigate.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, one of the agencies that responded, recommended boaters stay safe by having “protection gadget in working condition, consisting of a working VHS radio and life jackets for every person onboard
