Five Injured in Charlotte Harbor Boat Crash, Child and Adult Airlifted
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WENG News/Talk) — A Saturday evening boating accident in Charlotte Harbor left five people injured, including a child and an adult who were airlifted to a trauma center following a high-speed crash into a concrete piling near Laishley Park.
The crash occurred around 9:10 PM on July 26, when a vessel collided with a fixed structure just off the Punta Gorda shoreline. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, including Charlotte County Fire & EMS, Marine 2, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Two victims—an adult and a child—were flown by helicopter to a regional trauma center with serious injuries. Three other passengers were treated either on scene or transported by ground ambulance. None of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening at this time.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by the FWC. Officials have not yet released the names or ages of those involved, and no details have been provided on whether alcohol or speed played a role in the crash.
Charlotte County authorities are reminding boaters to exercise caution when navigating local waterways, especially after dark, and to remain alert to posted markers and fixed structures.
WENG will continue to monitor this story and provide updates as they become available.