One man was killed and another was hospitalized after a boat collided with a ferry near Miami Beach early Sunday, officials said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they're investigating the cause of what authorities described as an accidental crash between a 32-foot boat and the Fisher Island Ferry, just east of Pilot House Station at Dodge Island before 3:40 a.m.
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According to a City of Miami Fire-Rescue spokesperson, the smaller boat hit the ferry, which takes residents back and forth to Fisher Island. Authorities said that ferry personnel were able to retrieve one man from the water.
"When we arrived on the scene, we found one patient that the Coast Guard had recovered from the water," Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez said. "He was transported to the Ryder Trauma Center in stable condition. En route to the hospital, the patient did mention to us that he was going -- he began asking for his friend. So, at that point, we were notified that there was actually a second occupant in the boat."
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According to a release, the Miami Dive Team was immediately dispatched to perform a search and rescue operation. Multiple agencies could be seen in the area, searching both via helicopter in the air and with boats and divers in the water.
"We found the other victim underwater after about a five-minutes search," Lt. Sanchez said. "Unfortunately, that victim was deceased on the scene, and now, FWC will be handling the investigation."
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Members of FWC and the U.S. Coast Guard were on scene for several hours Sunday morning, rerouting tour groups that were set to depart from a blocked-off area of the Miami Beach Marina.
Following the crash, the Coast Guard sent out an alert indicating that a temporary security zone was being set up, limiting the flow of maritime traffic, including the cruises. The sunken vessel was removed around 2:30 p.m. and PortMiami was reopened.
