Photo: kozmoat98 / E+ / Getty Images
Key Largo, FL - A dramatic Key Largo boat crash, captured on video, shows the vessel going airborne before colliding with a seawall and becoming lodged in trees.
The accident occurred at the Mote Marine Laboratory after the operator reportedly fell against the throttle.
Surveillance footage captured by charter boat operators shows the center-console vessel accelerating uncontrollably, launching through the air, and ultimately getting wedged in nearby trees.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with one passenger ejected from the boat during the crash and narrowly avoiding injury from a falling tree limb.
Remarkably, the individual escaped unharmed.
The boat's owner explained that the incident happened too quickly for fear to set in.
His son stated that the operator lost control while trying to avoid other boats in worsening wind conditions, accidentally pushing the throttle further while slipping.
The crash caused significant damage to the dock and left the vessel lodged in trees.
Salvage crews used inflatable devices and ropes to retrieve the boat and return it to the water, employing techniques to lift the hull and float it back into the marina.
Despite the severity of the crash, no injuries were reported.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to determine all contributing factors, and further details have not yet been released.