Tourists dies after falling overboard from a boat and into Miami River, officials say
.jpg "A woman was rescued after falling overboard in Miami River.")
A tourist died after falling off a charter boat and into the Miami River over the weekend, according to authorities.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission identified the dead man as 23-year-old Trevonte Johnson, who was visiting Miami with friends from Mississippi. Miami Police Marine Patrol units responded to 485 Brickell Avenue in Brickell shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday, spokesperson Kiara Delva told the Miami Herald.
When they arrived, they spotted the man, who was seen in cell phone video obtained by Only in Dade getting pulled out of the water. He was then taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
An FWC report concluded that Johnson accidentally fell into the water. Several witnesses jumped in to rescue him, but he was later located at the bottom of the river by Miami Fire Rescue.
Miami police originally told the Miami Herald the dead tourists was a woman.
Fernando Veliz told NBC 6 that he and his girlfriend were on a personal watercraft in the Miami River when they noticed people on a boat screaming.
“When we get around the boat, we see that it’s actually a person,” Veliz said. “I realize and I was like, [he’s] actually drowning. and I took my vest off and I tried to jump in there to get [him.]”
Veliz said he wasn’t able to reach the man.
“I know that I did what I could, but I wish, of course, I could have been a little bit faster and maybe we would be having a different type of discussion right now,” he said.
FWC’s investigation is ongoing.
READ MORE: Body of man who fell overboard off charter yacht found in the Miami River, police say
Sunday’s incident comes weeks after the body of a California man, Abraham Mgowana, was found in the Miami River. Mgowana, 35, of Berkeley, fell from a charter yacht Feb. 24.
This story was originally published March 18, 2024 at 12:02 AM.
