NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – With the vessel now in the hands of state investigators, Local 10 News is learning new details about how long it took officials to respond to a boat crash off Boca Chita Key Sunday night that left a 17-year-old girl dead and a number of other teens injured.
Officials with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission said the boat, operated by George Pino, ran into a channel marker near North Key Largo as it was bound for Ocean Reef.
All 14 people on board were tossed from the boat, injuring several, and killing 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez.
FWC officials said alcohol was not a factor in the crash and the agency did not notify the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s office. A spokesperson for State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said if there is evidence of criminality, FWC would contact them.
Local 10 News dug into agencies’ response times to the deadly crash.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the agency received a call, relayed through the 911 system, about the wreck at 6:50 p.m. that night, minutes after the crash.
Within five minutes, the Coast Guard diverted its closest unit, and within 10 minutes, a good Samaritan recovered three people from the water.
At 7:17 p.m., Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, airlifted one critically injured person and at 7:48 p.m., the Coast Guard recovered two additional people, transferring them to Ocean Reef at 8 p.m.
“We alerted all first responders and public vessels of the emergency and the location to ensure federal, state, local and civilian good Samaritans could all try to get there fastest and render assistance,” a U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said.