IDs released of men who died after boat accident
Authorities have released the names of two men who died in a boating accident off the coast ofDania Beach.
Eric Pilgrim, 48, of Fort Lauderdale and John Blount, 48, of Pembroke Pines, presumably drowned after theywere ejected from their 22-foot boat that had become entangled in a mooring buoy and capsized, said Carol Lyn Parrish, spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Another man aboard the 1992 Monza, Thomas Rodriguez, 32, of Oakland Park, was the lone survivor, plucked out of the water by people on a civilian boat that had been in the area. He was brought to the U.S. Coast Guard Station at Port Evergladesanddid not need medical attention.
The accident happened at 2:23p.m. Tuesday, about a half-mile off the shore of Von D. Mizell and Eula Johnson State Park.
A 911 call was made by one of the rescuers on the civilian boat, Parrish said.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, which has a dive team, was called to the scene and recovered Pilgrim and Blount.
At one point there were at least eight vessels helping to search for survivors, including four Broward Sheriff's Office boats and a helicopter, a boat from Fort Lauderdale FireRescue and a boat fromHollywood Fire Rescue.
The accident comes just three days after another double-fatal boating accident on the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale. A31-foot catamaran hit a 22-foot Twin Vee center console, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The driver of the smaller boat, Andre Neves, 37, of Deerfield Beach, was killed as was a passenger in the boat, Juliana Da Costa Maria, 29, of Boca Raton.
“The FWC would like to take this opportunity to remind all boaters enjoying Florida’s beautiful waterways todososafely,” Parrish said. “Please wear your life jacket and maintain 360-degree awareness at all times while boating.” bballou@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4188