By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- • Three teenagers were thrown from a runaway flats-style boat near Mile Marker 89 off Islamorada, Florida, on June 1, 2026; all three were rescued unharmed by a passing boater.
- • The unmanned vessel continued traveling at approximately 35 mph through a congested waterway before Monroe County Marine Deputy Nelson Sanchez and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent intercepted and stopped it using an entangling device and a long boat hook.
- • The incident is the second of its kind in the Florida Keys in less than three weeks; a similar runaway boat event near Mile Marker 73 on May 15 also resulted in two occupants being thrown overboard, both rescued unharmed.
- • Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay used the incidents to issue a public safety reminder, urging boaters to review marine safety procedures and applicable laws ahead of the summer season.
- • No injuries were reported in either incident; no charges or citations were publicly announced as of the time of publication.
ISLAMORADA, Fla. — Three teenagers were thrown from a runaway flats boat in waters near Mile Marker 89 off Islamorada on June 1, 2026, in the second such incident in the Florida Keys in less than three weeks, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The occupants were ejected from the vessel at approximately 1 p.m. and were recovered unharmed by a passing boater who responded to assist before law enforcement arrived. The unmanned boat, a flats-style vessel, continued traveling at approximately 35 mph through a congested area of busy afternoon waterway traffic following the ejection.
Monroe County Marine Deputy Nelson Sanchez, along with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection vessel and a TowBoatUS boat, responded to the scene. An entangling device was deployed to slow the runaway boat but was not sufficient to bring it to a full stop. Deputy Sanchez then brought his vessel alongside the runaway boat, matching its speed and course, at which point a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent reached across to the other vessel’s controls and used a long boat hook to bring the craft to a stop.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office noted that a comparable incident had occurred on May 15, when two individuals were thrown from a flats boat near Mile Marker 73 under similar circumstances. Both were recovered unharmed by a good Samaritan. Sheriff Rick Ramsay issued a public statement following the June 1 incident, noting that both events had the potential for a significantly more serious outcome. Ramsay urged boaters to revisit safety procedures and marine laws ahead of the summer season, and directed the public to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website at myfwc.com for safety regulations and guidance.
No injuries were reported in either incident. No arrests or citations were publicly announced in connection with the June 1 event as of the time of publication.