Four people were killed when three boats
collided after a 4th July fireworks display near Dinner Key Marina in Miami.

Three of the casualties – Andrew Garcia,
23, Victoria Dempsey, 20, and 24-year old Kelsey Karpiak – were thrown into the
water when their Contender 32 drove into the side of a 36ft Carrera, killing
the fourth victim, 23-year-old Jason Soleimani from New York instantly, and
critically injuring two others.

The Contender then circled out of control
and collided with a Boston Whaler. In total, eight people were seriously
injured and 22 people were involved in the accident.

Multiple law enforcement officers rushed to
the scene when one of the boaters on the 36ft yacht raised the alarm at around
10:45pm local time.

“We kept getting report after report of
more people in the water,” Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Ignatius Carroll said during a
press briefing.

“There were people who were traumatised,
injured, confused,” said Carroll.

“We weren’t getting accurate counts of
people. We were trying to determine, did we have everybody? And then we found
out there was still a possibility two people were still missing.”

Garcia’s body was discovered in the early
hours by his father, Jack, who had continued the search for his son when the
official search party had returned home.

“I got there and my boy and the other girl
were still out there,” Jack Garcia told CBS4. “There was no effective search
going on, and I didn’t want to wait two or three days for my son’s body to
float up.”

Jorge Pino, a public information officer
with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told the Miami
Herald that every year there was a “Mad dash” with boats crisscrossing over the
bay.

“Typically after the fireworks are over,
everyone makes a mad dash for the nearest marina… It’s not like we can have
someone out there directing traffic,” he said.

According to a report by Local10.com, the
Miami authorities have discovered evidence of alcohol onboard the boat
responsible for the accident.

The investigation continues.