One person was killed after the inflatable dinghy he was riding in was struck by a boat travelling at high speed in Biscayne Bay off Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, March 25.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers said 55-year-old Davide Veglia was with his 14-year-old son when their dinghy was hit by a larger outboard-powered cabin boat in the bay's Meloy Channel just after 19:30 local time on Wednesday.
Veglia, a local businessman, died shortly afterwards while his son suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
According to the FWC, the powered boat fled the scene immediately after the crash. The identities of the boat and its owner remain unknown, prompting authorities to seek assistance from the public.
On Saturday, just three days after the hit-and-run in the Meloy Channel, another boating incident occurred in Biscayne Bay, resulting in the death of a 33-year-old woman.
The FWC said a recreational boat with two people on board lost control just north of Nixon Beach Sandbar at around 10:40 on Saturday. The passenger, identified as Claudia Balmaseda Orellanes, and the operator, 54-year-old Neil D. Schwabe, were then thrown overboard and were struck by the boat's hull.
Both individuals were pulled out of the water by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel. Balmaseda Orellanes later succumbed to her injuries while Schwabe is still undergoing treatment in hospital.
Saturday's incident also remains under investigation.
