A tragic boat accident on Florida’s Gulf Coast left three people dead and a fourth critically injured when a 39‑foot speedboat overturned in the Caloosahatchee River near the Cape Coral Yacht Club on Saturday afternoon.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the capsizing occurred at about 4 p.m. between Cape Coral and Fort Myers. A multi‑agency search—led by the Fort Myers Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard—recovered three bodies from the water, while the fourth was found the following day after an extended search.
Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and the third was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. Police have not released the identities of the deceased.
In an interview with the Naples Daily News, public‑relations officer Bradley Johnson said the boat’s engines appeared to detach during the incident. He added that while the exact cause is still unclear, wind conditions may have played a role.
A bystander who filmed the aftermath described witnessing the boat race just before it flipped:
> “Yes, I just so happened to look out the window,” the witness told WSVN.
> “I looked — those boats are racing — and then as soon as everybody looked, the boat was upside down.”
The witness, who was standing on the opposite bank, noted that the vessel rose into the air for only a few seconds before plunging into the water. He recalled the chaos:
> “I saw a crash, all the water was just all over the place. It was pretty wild.”
Additional footage from the shoreline shows first responders gathered around the yacht club, while other boaters rushed to assist the wrecked vessel.
The Coast Guard has indicated that the incident remains under investigation. Johnson thanked the numerous good Samaritans who immediately moved to help as emergency crews arrived.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported that in 2024 the state experienced 76 fatal boating accidents, resulting in 81 deaths—more than any other state.
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