PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — An 11-year-old girl tragically died Saturday night while boating on Lake Osborne in Palm Beach County, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirms.
According to a preliminary FWC investigation, two adults and three minors were on board a 20-foot pontoon boat that was on plane. However, the bow of the vessel dropped suddenly, ejecting the 11-year-old into the water.
The propeller of the boat then struck the child.
The 11-year-old was recovered from the water and taken to shore but died from her injuries.
TRAGIC: An 11-year-old girl died after being ejected from a boat and struck by a propeller in Lake Osborne yesterday. pic.twitter.com/P93rtAcwxz
— Zitlali Solache (@zitlalisolache) November 3, 2024
Boaters at Lake Osborne recall seeing search crews on Saturday.
"We just figured at first that they were just doing boating exercises, practicing on responding to emergencies, but now to hear that that’s what happened, it's very tragic," boater Luke Price said.
Price and his friends sad they've witnessed a handful of boating accidents on those waters. He said the tragic accident shifts his perspective.
"We’ve been out in the water since we were born so obviously, we can get to the point where we're too comfortable and that's not what you want out here," Price said. "Anything can happen, always take precautions."
