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An explosion aboard a charter vessel this Saturday left at least 11 people hospitalized near Haulover Sandbar, one of the most popular boating hangouts in South Florida, right during the Mother’s Day weekend.
The emergency call was received at 12:48 p.m. and activated the response of more than 25 units from the Miami-Dade Fire Department, including Fireboat 21, Ocean Rescue units, an air rescue helicopter, agents from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and the Coast Guard.
In light of the magnitude of the number of victims, the authorities classified the incident as a Level 2 Mass Casualty Event.
According to witnesses and initial investigations, the most probable cause was a fuel leak combined with a failure to adhere to basic nautical safety protocols before starting the engine.
The captain Leo, a witness to the incident, explained to CBS Miami what happened: "The captain boarded his people, turned the key, did not open the hatches, and did not activate the exhaust fans: he threw people out of the boat."
The spokesperson for the FWC, Melissa Brevik, confirmed in a statement gathered by the Associated Press that the cause remains under investigation: “Preliminary information indicates that a charter vessel carrying several passengers was in Biscayne Bay, near Haulover Sandbar, when an explosion occurred on board.”
The vessel involved was identified by CBS Miami as the Naughty Neighbors, registered in Sherman, Texas, and was towed to the dock near Haulover Inlet, apparently showing few visible damages on the exterior.
Heart-wrenching testimonies
Patrick Lee, captain of a charter boat that was in the area, recounted what he witnessed: "I saw three people flying out of the boat in the midst of a cloud of smoke. It's a fast fire, it's high-octane gasoline, and many of them simply burned."
Among the injured was Adriana Rojas, who was celebrating Mother's Day aboard the vessel and was hospitalized at the Ryder Trauma Center of Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Her husband, Anthony Torres, recounted the distressing call he received after the explosion: "She was screaming: 'Help me! Help me! I'm burned! The boat exploded!'."
Torres described his wife's condition: “She has second-degree burns on her legs, buttocks, chest, left arm, and left side of her body.” According to emergency reports, at least one adult suffered burns covering more than 30% of the body.
Call to nautical safety
The Battalion Chief Juan Arias from the Miami-Dade Fire Department confirmed that “the injuries ranged from burns to physical trauma” and took the opportunity to issue a reminder: “It is always good to ensure that you have a radio, life jackets, fire extinguishers, and also an experienced navigator on board.”
This accident adds to a series of serious nautical incidents in the waters of Miami-Dade in recent months.
In March, a 33-year-old Cuban died in Biscayne Bay after being struck by her own out-of-control vessel.
In July 2025, two children died following a sailboat collision in Miami, and in April of that same year, a yacht went out of control in the bay in an incident involving a Cuban businessman.
The investigation into the exact causes of the explosion remains open and is being conducted by the FWC.
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