A boating accident on Lake George, south of Putnam County claimed the lives of two children on Sunday. According to Florida Wish and Wildlife Conversion Commission officials, a 4-year-old boy from Umatilla and a 14-year-old girl from Eustis drowned when their boat got caught in a bad storm. All of the occupants except the 14-year-old were wearing PFD’s when the boat accident occurred.
The operator of the boat is believed to have pulled up anchor while the six occupants went down below the cabin of the boat. When two waves came over the bow of the boat, it caused water to build up in the vessel. Then the boat took a wave over the side, which caused the vessel to roll over and capsize, trapping six people in the cabin.
A Mayport-based Coast Guard crew was conducting a training operation when they found the capsized boat. A 5-year-old from Fernandina Beach was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Another occupant, a 36-year-old from Umatilla, was also taken to the hospital and is expected to recover from the Florida boating accident.
Update–Fatal Accident on Lake George, WOKV.com, May 25, 2009
Contact our South Florida boating accident attorneys if you have been injured in a boating accident or lost a loved one in an accident.