Medical helicopter lands on Florida Keys highway to pick up injured boat crash victim
The 18 Mile Stretch, the section of U.S. 1 leading from the mainland to the Florida Keys, was temporarily closed in both directions Thursday afternoon so a helicopter air ambulance could land on the highway and take a boat accident victim to a Miami-Dade County hospital.
The accident happened around 11:40 a.m. off the popular Gilbert’s Resort under the Jewfish Creek Bridge in Key Largo, according to Monroe County Sheriff’s Office online dispatch records.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the agency that handles and investigates boat accidents, did not immediately respond to requests for details about the incident.
A Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue helicopter ambulance landed at mile marker 109 on the 18 Mile Stretch to pick the person up around 12:45 p.m., according to Florida Department of Transportation online camera footage. Minutes later, the chopper took off with the patient on board.
The highway was immediately reopened.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
