The Perazzo Law Firm has learned, according to WSVN, that a collision between two airboats in the Everglades in western Broward County on Friday, October 2, 2026, claimed one life and left another person injured. Florida treats an airboat as a vessel under Fla. Stat. 327.02, so the state’s boating laws apply. If your family is facing a similar loss, a Florida boating accident lawyer can explain your options at 888-PERAZZO.
What the reports say so far
According to WSVN, the two airboats collided around 6:19 p.m. in a remote area south of Interstate 75 and west of U.S. 27. One person was pronounced dead at the scene. A man was airlifted by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Air Rescue to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood as a Level 1 trauma alert, and WSVN reports the cause is still under investigation.
NBC 6 reports that authorities are investigating and that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is responding to the scene. Neither outlet has said what caused the crash.
An airboat is a vessel under Florida law
Fla. Stat. 327.02 defines an airboat as a vessel designed for shallow water and powered by an engine with an airplane-type propeller above the stern. The same section includes airboats in its definition of “vessel.”
That matters because Fla. Stat. 327.33(2) requires anyone operating a vessel on state waters to do so in a “reasonable and prudent manner, having regard for other waterborne traffic” and “all other attendant circumstances.” Subsection (1) of the same statute separately makes reckless operation unlawful.
Who investigates and what must be reported
Under Fla. Stat. 327.301(1), the operator of a vessel involved in an accident causing bodily injury, death, or disappearance must forward a written report to “the division” within the time limits in 33 C.F.R. 173.55. Section 327.02 defines the division as the Division of Law Enforcement of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Officers who investigate such an accident must send their own written report to the division within 24 hours of finishing the investigation, according to Fla. Stat. 327.301(3).
Preserving evidence after a remote crash
Some families ask in writing that the vessels, engines, controls, GPS or phone data, and photographs be kept intact, and a lawyer can help send those requests. This is general practice information, not a statement of what the law requires.
A wrongful death claim and its deadline
Fla. Stat. 768.19, part of the Florida Wrongful Death Act, makes the person or watercraft that would have been liable had the injured person lived answerable for damages, including for deaths on navigable waters. Under Fla. Stat. 768.20, the suit is brought by the decedent’s personal representative for the benefit of survivors and the estate.
The filing deadline is two years for both negligence and wrongful death actions, according to Fla. Stat. 95.11(5).
Frequently asked questions
Does Florida boating law cover airboats?
Yes. The boating accident lawyers at the Perazzo Law Firm understand that Fla. Stat. 327.02 counts an airboat as a vessel, so the operating rules in chapter 327 apply to it.
How long does a family have to file a wrongful death claim?
Two years, according to Fla. Stat. 95.11(5).
Who files a wrongful death lawsuit in Florida?
The decedent’s personal representative, under Fla. Stat. 768.20.
Talk to us about your loss
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Boating Accident Attorney in Miami Advertising. The Perazzo Law Firm maintains bona fide offices in North Miami Beach, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. Jonathan Perazzo, Esq., is the attorney responsible for this content. This page is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.