A diver was hospitalized yesterday after being struck by a boat propeller in the waters off Fort Lauderdale Beach. The incident occurred in near proximity to Florida State Road A1A at the Northeast 21st Street Beach entrance. Initially reported as a possible shark attack, the situation was swiftly reassessed when authorities learned the true cause of the diver's injuries, as reported by CBS News Miami.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue detailed that the man was diving about a mile offshore in 60-foot-deep water when the accident happened. A nearby boat collided with the man, and its propeller inflicted severe damage to his leg. Following the incident, the man was taken as a trauma alert to Broward Health Medical Center. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has since issued a call for assistance in locating the involved vessel—a 30 to 40 foot boat with outboard motors, last seen heading north with two people aboard.
Witnesses on the scene quickly came to the diver's aid. Megan McHugh, one of the good Samaritans at the beach, told 7News, "The police talked us through it, told us to stay with him, keep him conscious. They gave me instructions on how to hold [the leg] tight.” An off-duty firefighter, Geovani Paredes, also helped the victim, stating, “We pulled him off. He did have a pretty good laceration on the back of his leg.”
Christopher Burnes, an employee of Beach Ventures, witnessed the incident and rushed to inform the nearest lifeguard. In a statement obtained by CBS News Miami, Burnes recounted the horror of observing a "big gaping wound on the back of his leg." He added that the injured man was conscious and able to speak, though he expressed concerns about losing his leg. Meanwhile, the FWC is continuing their investigation and encourages anyone with information regarding the boat to contact their Wildlife Alert Hotline.
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