Boaters Hurt In Series Of Weekend Accidents On South Florida Waters

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- It was a busy weekend for rescue crews following three boating incidents in the waters off Broward and Miami-Dade.

On Sunday afternoon, a personal water craft crashed into a boat, sending three people to the hospital.

"We received reports of a personal watercraft that collided with a watercraft nearby Picnic Island, which is right off 21st Street and Bayshore Drive," said Miami Fire-Rescue's Capt. Ignatius Carroll.

Four people were on the boat, officials said, which was moving slowly at the time of the collision. Two people were on the personal watercraft.

"The fire boat arrived and found a male and female, the passenger and the operator of the jet ski, that were in the water, we understand, knocked unconscious as a result of the impact," said Capt. Carroll. "And we had one woman that was on the boat that was struck by the personal watercraft."

Earlier in the day, rescue crews responded to a report of a boat fire, possibly an explosion, involving a 1988 23' Donzi at Black Point Marina.

"We had a total of one adult person that was airlifted, along with one minor airlifted to a nearby trauma center, and two minors ground transported for trauma," said Lt. Felipe Lay with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

They said the vessel was docked at the marina with seven people on board, including minors.

"It is believed that the engine compartment flashed due to fumes that were emanating from the engine compartment," Lt. Lay added.

Four people were sent to the hospital Saturday night in Ft. Lauderdale in a boat collision involving multiple vessels.

It happened just before midnight.

"One of the boats, they didn't have their headlights on," said witness Gabi Downey. "And they had a head-on collision with the other boat."

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the incidents.