After enjoying an Independence day firework show, things turned in Florida when three boats crashed, killing three passengers.
According to CNN, the collision took place after a fireworks display in Biscayne Bay in Miami. It appears passengers were in a rush to leave the bay after the show when two boats collided, knocking into a third boat.
Five passengers landed in the water. 12 people were taken to the hospital for injuries. Two victims passed away in the hospital while two more were found dead in the water. One person in the hospital is still under critical care.
The victims were all in their early twenties, according to local news The Tampa Bay Times. The names of the victims are Kelsie Karpiak, Andrew Garcia, Victoria Dempsey, and Jason Soleimani.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard’s website, in 2013 there were 4,062 boating accidents, with 920 accidents taking place in the month of July. Out of 560 deaths from boating accidents in 2013, 83 deaths were in the month of July in 2013. The coast guard says the main reasons for these accidents and fatalities are inattention and inexperience by the operator of the boat.