A 17-year-old girl died Monday and seven other people were injured after a boating accident near Boca Chita Island off Miami on Sunday evening, officials said.
At around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, a 29-foot Robalo boat with 14 people onboard struck a channel marker in the Intracoastal Waterway at the south end of Cutter Bank, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement.
"All 14 occupants, which included 12 juveniles and two adults, were ejected from the vessel," the statement read. "Good Samaritans and multiple responding agencies recovered the occupants from the water and transported them to land and ultimately to hospitals to receive medical attention if necessary."
Alcohol is not believed to have contributed to the accident, the commission said.
Luciana Fernandez, 17, a high school senior, died of her injuries Monday morning, NBC Miami reported.
Her school, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, recalled her “beautiful smile” in sharing the news of her death.
"Known for her smile, larger than life personality and signature laugh, Lucy was a joy to all who knew her and a shining light at our school," the school said in a statement on Facebook.
"We extend our heartfelt condolences to Lucy’s parents and younger brother, as well as her family and friends, and we share in their grief during this time of great loss."
The school held a vigil for Fernandez on Monday "to pray for the repose of her soul," according to the post.
Seven other people were injured in the accident — two adults and five 17-year-olds — the fish and wildlife commission said. Their conditions are unknown.
The six other people on the boat, all of them 17 years old, were uninjured.
Most of those onboard were students at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy and Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, all-girls Catholic schools in Miami-Dade County, NBC Miami reported.
The fish and wildlife commission continues to investigate.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, one of the agencies that responded, encouraged boaters to stay safe by having "safety equipment in working condition, including a working VHS radio and life jackets for everyone onboard."
