Photographer: Tim ShorttMedia: Florida Today Last week, two out of four boaters were killed after their airboat flipped in the air while traveling up the St. Johns River in Melbourne, Florida. Eyewitness and fellow airboater Timothy Young told USA Today the airboat “was going kind of fast” and the “back…
Boating season is upon us, kicked off during Memorial Day weekend only days away. During the last weekend of Spring, South Florida will once again become the boating capital of the world for many weeks to come, and each year around this time Ira H. Leesfield, renews its boating safety…
The vast majority of recreational and tourist activities enjoyed in Florida are not regulated by the Florida legislature. Most tour operators have complete freedom to operate their business virtually any way they see fit. This usually results in a culture of maximizing profit to the detriment of customer safety. Warning,…
As we approach the summer months in South Florida, we once again see the start of another boating season. Thousands of boaters in personal water craft will soon set out across our beautiful bays, sandbars, and offshore islands to take in all that our tropical paradise has to offer. As…
On Saturday night, a two boats were involved in an accident off Biscayne Bay, one mile off Matheson Hammock in Coral Gables, Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission which is investigating every single boating accident in the region has relayed minimal information through its spokesperson, Jorge Pino. What…
In May, Ira Leesfield underlined the increased dangers in all water-related activities, including boating, during national holidays when he wrote: “Memorial Day boating and water sports highlight safety issues in the Florida keys.” This past weekend, during the 4th of July festivities, tragedy struck when three boats collided, resulting in…
On sunday evening, Ernesto Hernandez, 23, was pronounced dead at Ryder Trauma Center in Miami where he was airlifted following an incident off Nixon beach in Key Biscayne, Florida. Ernesto was with his family and friends on a sunday afternoon when a nearby motorboat became stuck on a sand bar.…
A week ago, 15-year-old Deviny Boese, was killed in a boating accident off Redington beach in the Tampa area. She had joined a few friends on a 23-foot twin engine fishing boat. Another 15-year-old, Brandon Noah, was operating the boat when tragedy occurred. Deviny and her friend Sarah Dobbs were…
A boat operator has the duty to operate his or her vessel in a reasonable and safe manner and the duty to the public to exercise reasonable care in the use, operation, and control of the vessel. The “reasonable care” standard is not singular to the State of Florida, and…