Florida man drowns trying to save toy boat

MIAMI - A Florida man drowned after jumping onto an inflatable raft and paddling out to the middle of a lake to try to retrieve a stalled radio-controlled toy boat, police said Tuesday.

Another toy boat punctured the raft, causing it to deflate rapidly, and the 31-year-old victim could not swim, Miami-Dade Police said.

The accident occurred Monday evening at a park northwest of Miami where the victim and several friends were racing the remote-controlled boats.I think it was all purely accidental. It's a fluke," said Detective Joanne Duncan. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13050566/

PlasmaFiend024 said:

MIAMI - A Florida man drowned after jumping onto an inflatable raft and paddling out to the middle of a lake to try to retrieve a stalled radio-controlled toy boat, police said Tuesday.

Another toy boat punctured the raft, causing it to deflate rapidly, and the 31-year-old victim could not swim, Miami-Dade Police said.

The accident occurred Monday evening at a park northwest of Miami where the victim and several friends were racing the remote-controlled boats.I think it was all purely accidental. It's a fluke," said Detective Joanne Duncan. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13050566/

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:doh: I hate hearing stuff like this! If you cant swim STAY OUT of the water.....My MIL cant swim and she goes on the boat they have all the time by herself and I tell her always Dont do that! Its too dangerous!! I feel very sad for this man and his family.

Why in the world would he go in water over his head without a PFD if he couldn't swim?? This guy should not have been out there. He probably didn't want to admit, in front of his friends, that he couldn't swim. What a waste.

No kidding if you can't swim then don't go into water.

I really do feel that all children should be "taught" the basics of swimming so in the event that they may fall into the water, they could save their own lives. Adults too.

Several kids drowned last summer. In some countries, children have never seen the water, or could not even swim in the water.

Now children are offered "free" lessons, just the basics, in school to learn how to swim.

Our oldest son when he was three, ran out the back door of the cottage, down the path. We were getting ready to go outside. He was a very fast toddler......I ran after him. He ran off the front of the dock into 5 feet of water. Not intentionally of course. Just ran out of dock.

I got him out of the water, with the PFD doing its job by flipping him over on his back, he looked VERY scared, probably wondering what the heck happened.

Thank God the "rule" was that no child was ever allowed outside without a PFD, as we are very, close to the water. I had already put on the PFD in anticipation of going outside.

It could have been tragic, that is why we decided that all of the kids needed swimming lesson if we were going to the cottage, ever again, in this lifetime.

But this poor man, I really do feel for his family, a lot of people who don't swim are not scared of the water, until they fall in and then they realize that they are in trouble. Or they feel that they can take care of themselves and water is not going to control them. Or they don't anticipate falling in. This was so preventable and so tragic.

How can anyone not swim? I don't mean to sound dense.

Amraann said:

How can anyone not swim? I don't mean to sound dense.

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i dont understand that either, I never have. No offense to anyone wo cant swim, but I just dont get it.....:waitasec:

Amraann said:

How can anyone not swim? I don't mean to sound dense.

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I agree.
In schools today(I remember when I went) do you still have to learn to
swim to graduate?

Pharlap said:

I agree.
In schools today(I remember when I went) do you still have to learn to
swim to graduate?

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I never heard that! Thats a good idea though.

Pharlap said:

I agree.
In schools today(I remember when I went) do you still have to learn to
swim to graduate?

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We also had to pass swimming to graduate high school, but I dont think that is the "norm" today. With all the budget cuts, many schools dont even have a mandatory PE program, let alone a swimming program. Gotta have the money for all those english as a second language classes etc.

I can't swim and grew up on a river and less than 3 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

Mine I guess is all in my head. When I was 8 and my cousin D was 8 he drowned. All us cousins were taking swimming lessons right before they went down to Gulf Shores. He and his brother were on a boogie board out in the Gulf and an undertow got them. A nurse on the beach got the oldest out and went back for D but couldn't grab him. He was taken miles down the coast before they found him. They kept him on life support for days afterward but it was no good. He was dead when they found him.

It was a most traumatic accident that made me scream just to have my hair washed. I refused to get back in the water after that. I guess it didn't help that his was the first funeral I had ever gone to. It messed with my head big time. We were very close, only 2 months apart in age and he was the sweetest little boy. He was my protector when we were little. As for how upset it made me, I'm tearing up now just telling you this and it's been 28 years. (thats not a bad thing, I just miss him still and it was scary!)

I have however had my children taught. My fear shouldn't be their fear. My brother was much younger and it never made him afraid, he swims and enjoys it. I wanted my kids to know that part of it and to be safe too of course. I still go out on the water sometimes, but never without a life vest and never with someone I don't trust and NEVER alone.

BhamMama said:

I can't swim and grew up on a river and less than 3 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

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I am so sorry about your cousin, Mama. But it's never too late to learn.

And since you enjoy boating, even occasionally, it would be wise to do so, even now.

(Okay, enough unsolicited advice. I grew up in South Florida where drowning was too common and I feel very strongly that everyone should know how to swim - just in case.)

WHY WAS HE NOT WEARING HIS LIFE JACKET???? Anytime you're in a boat you should have one on. :doh:

I agree Jeana, but most people, whom I have seen in boats see Life Jackets, like Bike Helmets, they don't think they will ever need them.

Or they are too egotistical or arrogant to "think" that they will ever need them.

They don't see the need because they can swim, but maybe not the two miles to shore....or they can ride their bike "really" well, but the car that "clipped" them was unseen as they fall to the curb and hit their head.

I have seen many parents who have put life jackets on their kids, but they do not wear them.

Life Jackets save lives, bike helmets save lives, but of course we are the "moms"....and we know.

Just recently, 6 people in a boat, strong winds, boat capsized, 4 life jackets, the 4 women lived, the two men died......

It takes lessons and practice to learn how to swim and do it efficiently, hence swimming lessons......and swimming practice.

I for one am not a strong swimmer, so I always wear my life jacket, because if I did not, the kids would say....but Mom.....why do we have to wear the life jacket and not you.

Not a good example......and saves Mom from looking like a hypocrit.