As investigators work to figure out what caused a deadly boat crash in Cape Coral, we’re hearing from the divers who pulled key evidence from the Caloosahatchee River.It’s been a little over a week since the 39-foot powerboat flipped near the Cape Coral Yacht Club, killing Craig Millett, Brenna Millett, and Rebecca Knight. Neal Kirby, the lone survivor, is still recovering.Sea Tow Captain Israel Andujar was one of the divers who helped bring the boat and the wreckage back to shore at the Horton Park Boat Ramp. What he and his team found underwater could help answer the questions many in the community are still asking.”We saw a lot of debris from the boat down there, the fiberglass…bits and chunks and pieces were just scattered about,” said Andujar.The boat’s two 1,000-pound engines had torn loose in the crash and ended up sinking to the river bottom. Andujar and his crew spent over four hours diving to find and lift them out with underwater lift bags and a forklift, the day after the Nov. 29 tragedy.”The most difficult part was actually finding them; the visibility was so low,” he said. “Once we got them up, we handed everything over to FWC. They can go into the engines and see the data, the speeds, and maybe see if there was any mechanical errors.”When the boat was finally flipped upright, Andujar says they found two self-deploying life jackets still inside, and a cell phone that was, surprisingly, still working.Andujar says they don’t typically get calls for crashes in this area of the river, especially not this severe. The crash happened in a 25-mile-per-hour zone, where Sea Tow usually responds to mechanical issues or boaters stuck on sandbars.”Most people are pretty safe boaters. We mostly just do engine failure tows, things like that,” said Sea Tow’s general manager Bobby Scott. Photos and video from the recovery show the boat being towed in, revealing visible damage to the front left side of the hull. Andujar believes the damage could have come from the sheer force of impact with the water.”It’s pure speculation, but water turns into concrete when you hit it fast enough,” he said. “We couldn’t find anything, wood or anything to suggest something like a channel marker was hit.”FWC says the investigation remains active and could take months to complete. Neal Kirby’s family told Gulf Coast News he’s out of the ICU, but still has a long road to recovery. His family is asking for privacy as he heals.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
CAPE CORAL, Fla. —
As investigators work to figure out what caused a deadly boat crash in Cape Coral, we’re hearing from the divers who pulled key evidence from the Caloosahatchee River.
It’s been a little over a week since the 39-foot powerboat flipped near the Cape Coral Yacht Club, killing Craig Millett, Brenna Millett, and Rebecca Knight. Neal Kirby, the lone survivor, is still recovering.
Sea Tow Captain Israel Andujar was one of the divers who helped bring the boat and the wreckage back to shore at the Horton Park Boat Ramp. What he and his team found underwater could help answer the questions many in the community are still asking.
“We saw a lot of debris from the boat down there, the fiberglass…bits and chunks and pieces were just scattered about,” said Andujar.
The boat’s two 1,000-pound engines had torn loose in the crash and ended up sinking to the river bottom. Andujar and his crew spent over four hours diving to find and lift them out with underwater lift bags and a forklift, the day after the Nov. 29 tragedy.
“The most difficult part was actually finding them; the visibility was so low,” he said. “Once we got them up, we handed everything over to FWC. They can go into the engines and see the data, the speeds, and maybe see if there was any mechanical errors.”
When the boat was finally flipped upright, Andujar says they found two self-deploying life jackets still inside, and a cell phone that was, surprisingly, still working.
Andujar says they don’t typically get calls for crashes in this area of the river, especially not this severe. The crash happened in a 25-mile-per-hour zone, where Sea Tow usually responds to mechanical issues or boaters stuck on sandbars.
“Most people are pretty safe boaters. We mostly just do engine failure tows, things like that,” said Sea Tow’s general manager Bobby Scott.
Photos and video from the recovery show the boat being towed in, revealing visible damage to the front left side of the hull. Andujar believes the damage could have come from the sheer force of impact with the water.
“It’s pure speculation, but water turns into concrete when you hit it fast enough,” he said. “We couldn’t find anything, wood or anything to suggest something like a channel marker was hit.”
FWC says the investigation remains active and could take months to complete.
Neal Kirby’s family told Gulf Coast News he’s out of the ICU, but still has a long road to recovery. His family is asking for privacy as he heals.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.