Five Dead in Ponte Vedra Boating Accident - Update
Cause of accident under investigation by the FWC

Posted Apr. 12, 2009

 
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According to reports by CNN, five people were killed in a boating accident that occured around 7 PM Sunday, April 12, in Ponte Vedra, FL.

According to News4Jax.com, the accident occured just north of the Palm Valley Bridge, on the Intracoastal Waterway in St. Johns County. The 22-foot boat with 14 passengers aboard hit a tug boat.

"The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the tug was unoccupied and tied up to a barge at a work site where a dock and boat lift are under construction," reported News4Jax.com. "The names and ages of the victims were not made available Sunday night. There was also no word on whether they were wearing life vests or how fast the boat was traveling."

Rescuers had to use plywood panels to reach the boat passengers in the water. The remaining nine passengers were taken to area hospitals where they were treated for various injuries.

Monday morning updates from the FWC:

Investigators with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
(FWC) have confirmed five people are dead and seven seriously injured
after a boating accident on the Intracoastal Waterway in St. Johns
County Sunday evening.

The accident occurred around 7:15 p.m., Sunday about one mile north of
the Palm Valley Bridge (State Road 210) in Palm Valley, approximately 20
miles north of St. Augustine. The injured were taken to
Jacksonville-area hospitals; three of the injured were airlifted from
the scene.

According to FWC investigators, the vessel, a 22-foot 2000 Crownline,
rammed into the rear, right side of a 25-foot tug boat that was tied to
a dock. The tug is registered to F&A Enterprises, St. Augustine.

The FWC is investigating the accident. No other information is available
at this time.