Florida boat crash leaves one teen dead, 5 injured
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A small boat carrying six teenagers on a late-night river trip crashed into a bridge early Thursday, killing one and injuring the others onboard.
Investigators were working to learn the cause of the one-vessel crash and to determine whether someone had loaned the teens the boat. The 13-foot Boston Whaler was not owned by anyone directly related to them, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Liz Barraco said.
She identified the teen who died as John M. Baker, 17. Classmate Prince Hassan described him as "a good fisherman" and "the nicest kid ever." He said they were about to begin their senior year in high school.
"We're all kids, we're all going to party, we're all going to have fun," Hassan said. "It could have happened to me last night. I could have been on that boat, but I decided not to go."
Family friend Chris Liptak told CBS Miami that he was stunned by Baker's death.
"I've known him since he was born. He's a water baby. I mean they had a Bertram Sport Fisher. They're always on the water. They're always in the Bahamas. They had a house down in the Keys. He's grown up around the water," said Liptak.
The teens had apparently set out on the Middle River in Fort Lauderdale around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, officials said. Early Thursday, the craft crashed into pilings under a bridge on the south fork of the river, which runs through a residential neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale.
Michael Cooper, who lives near the crash site, said he was getting ready for bed when he heard a "tremendous smack" outside.
"I feel so bad for them and the family. I'm thinking about them. I hope they are OK," Cooper said.
Three teens were in critical condition, and two had minor injuries, Barraco said. Their names haven't been released.
Investigators worked through the night to process the scene. By daylight, the boat had been taken away and the scene cleared.
It's the second tragedy involving teens and boating this summer in South Florida. Two 14-year-old boys disappeared during a fishing trip in the Atlantic last month. The Coast Guard spent a week looking for Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos. Their families launched a private search for the Tequesta teens, with volunteers scouring waters off Georgia and the Carolinas by helicopter, plane and boat before calling off the search Saturday.