Airboat Crash on Lake Cypress Injures Thirteen People

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on August 16, 2023

Thirteen individuals sustained a variety of minor and major injuries this past Monday after two airboats collided on Lake Cypress in Kenansville, according to a statement from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Preliminary reports from officials in Osceola County indicate that it was approximately 12:15 p.m. on August 14, 2023, when authorities were first notified of a boating accident involving two vessels at Wild Florida, a local nature park south of Orlando that offers safari-type excursions, supervised gator encounters, and airboat tours of the Everglades.

Several law enforcement agencies, both state and federal, were dispatched to the scene of the airboat crash, including members of the United States Coast Guard, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Department, and the St. Cloud Fire Rescue Department. In total, there were twenty-eight passengers and two captains involved in the boating accident, although it is unclear exactly how many people were aboard each vessel at the time of the collision.

After the airboat accident occurred and emergency response teams arrived at the scene, two passengers were medevaced to HCA Florida Osceola Hospital in Kissimmee with non-life-threatening injuries. Nine additional people were transported by ambulance to local hospitals and seventeen individuals refused medical treatment.

“We are cooperating fully with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other state and local authorities as they conduct an official investigation of the incident,” said the Wild Florida staff in a Facebook post.

Since the collision occurred on water, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit will be conducting the investigation. No further information has been released at this time.

Each year, thousands of tourists and out-of-towners visit Florida to experience our world-renowned amusement parks, beautiful beaches, and other one-of-a-kind outdoor activities that are hard to find anywhere else. And while most of these vacations typically take place without a hitch, accidents can happen and if they do, we’ll be there to help.

Here at the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A., we have been dedicated to the compassionate representation of boating accident victims since 1977. If you or a loved one have sustained injuries during a boat crash, please contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY to schedule an appointment.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.