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Body Found Near Marina Is That Of Missing Boater

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -  A body found floating in the water near Matheson Hammock's Marina early Tuesday morning is that of a woman who disappeared off a go fast boat over the weekend.

CBS4 News videographer Brian Shanahan, just before 7 AM, was shooting video of the search operation for 26-year-old Lauren Jenee Lamar when he saw something in his camera lens—the body of a black female partially submerged in the water just feet from the shore. He immediately notified the coast guard's search and rescue team.

On Tuesday evening, police confirmed that the body found in the bay area by the marina is that of Lamar who was in town from Jacksonville for Memorial Day Weekend.

Lauren Jenee Lamar
Lauren Jenee Lamar (Source: Miami-Dade Police)

Lamar was with two other people on a 30-foot go fast boat late Sunday.

A source tells CBS4 News the group had been drinking at the Hard Rock Café in Bayside before they got on the boat and headed for Stiltsville.

Investigators say they were partying near Stiltsville when they decided to head back around 10 p.m.

CLICK HERE to watch Oralia Ortega's report

When they arrived at Matheson Hammock Park they realized that Lamar was missing. The driver of the boat, 45-year old Russell Bruce, said he thought she was asleep inside the cabin as they made their way back. When they docked at the park, he realized she wasn't on board. He said the conditions were windy and the water was a little rough, so Lamar may have fallen overboard.

"I don't know if I've ever heard of someone falling off a boat, especially when there's only three people on board, and the two people that are left on board not realize what happened, however, anything is possible," said Jorge Pino with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.  "We don't know why this happened. I mean it's very unusual circumstances."

No one on board the boat was wearing a life vest.

The driver of the boat walked passed CBS4's cameras Monday night and refused to answer questions about what happened. He and the second passenger were questioned by police.

CBS4 News source said investigators initially had a hard time speaking with the pair because they had been drinking.

The Coast Guard, Miami Fire Rescue and FWC searched a large area of Biscayne Bay by air and by boat, started Sunday night, and continued all day Monday.

"This was a pretty intense search. We've been searching for more than 35-hours both by sea and air," said Lt. Gabe Somma with the US Coast Guard. "It's been around the clock non-stop coverage."

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