OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies say a woman was severely injured after she was hit by a boat's propeller in the Florida Panhandle.
It happened Monday in the intercoastal waterway west of Crab Island near Destin.
A 22-year-old tourist was sitting on the bow of a pontoon boat with her feet in the water when the boat hit a wave, pulling her under, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook.
The woman was struck by the propeller and "suffered multiple very deep lacerations to her arm."
Sheriff's office marine units responded and applied a tourniquet for the severe bleeding until Okaloosa Emergency Medical Services arrived.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating.
"We send our sincere wishes for her recovery from the trauma. And we want to remind everyone to please use caution on the water. A fun day of boating can turn tragic very quickly," the sheriff's office wrote.
Florida led the nation in boating accidents in 2021 with 804, according to FWC data. California had the second-most accidents with 493.
Of the 469 boating injuries reported over the past five years, lacerations are the most common. The leading cause of those injuries was impact with the boat.
“Reminding people to be safe and slow down is our top priority. Nothing can ruin an enjoyable and memorable experience on the water faster than a boating accident," Maj. Rob Beaton, FWC’s Boating and Waterways section leader., wrote on the agency's website.
You can visit MyFWC.com/Boating for more boating safety tips and regulations.
