BOCA RATON, Fla. – State law enforcement officials are investigating after a group of young boaters were caught on camera dumping trash right into the ocean in the waters off South Florida over the weekend — and then celebrating what they did.
It’s sparking outrage over social media.
The video, taken by social media content creator Wavy Boats, shows the group dumping two garbage cans full of trash into the ocean about a mile and a half offshore the Boca Raton Inlet Sunday afternoon.
Wavy Boats took the video as the vessel was leaving the annual Boca Bash on Lake Boca, speeding east on the inlet despite huge swells, then stopping to dump the trash — cans, bottles, plastic cups — right into the sea. The video shows some of it floating on the surface as the boaters sped back into the inlet to rejoin the party.
The video went viral and was reposted on several accounts with tens of thousands of people commenting and expressing anger.
“The boat should be confiscated and sold at auction,” one comment read.
Another reads, “Take their boat and jail them!”
A spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the agency is investigating. The agency confirmed to Local 10 that agents know who the boat belongs to and are working to identify everyone on board.
Organizers of Boca Bash released a statement that reads in part:
“It is irresponsible boat owners like this that give the event a bad reputation. The Boca Bash regularly asks attendees to keep our waterways clean all the way up to the event date. We do not condone drinking and operating a vessel by any means and cannot stress enough how imperative it is to keep our local waters clean.”
Some of the boaters appear to be minors.
There’s no word on any arrests or if their parents will be held accountable. Violations to Florida’s litter law can result in civil penalties, fines, and possible prison sentences.