2 hospitalized after boat strikes Florida Keys reef and flips over, FWC cops say
Two people were hospitalized after their boat struck a coral reef off the Lower Florida Keys and flipped over Saturday, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
It was the second serious boat crash that occurred in the island chain over the weekend. The other: a teen girl was driving a boat when police say it crashed into the Seven Mile Bridge in the Middle Keys, injuring four of the seven people on the vessel.
The Skeeter catamaran hit the reef going at a high rate of speed around 3:50 p.m. near Big Torch Key. FWC spokeswoman Arielle Callender said said the driver, Alex Ortega, 46, and the passenger, 41-year-old Ana Lillian Ortega, were both ejected from the vessel.
Both were rescued and taken to a hospital. Their conditions were not known as of Monday evening.
The FWC is investigating the cause of the crash.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
