Boating Accident Claims Life in Punta Gorda
A night out on the water ended in tragedy Saturday after a boat struck a rock jetty near Fisherman’s Village in Punta Gorda, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Officials identified the victim as 27-year-old Nicholas Knowlton, who was operating a 22-foot vessel in Charlotte Harbor when the accident occurred shortly after 9 p.m. Despite rescue efforts from a bystander and a responding police officer, Knowlton did not survive.
Multiple agencies, including the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, Punta Gorda Police Department, and local fire crews, responded to the scene around 9:07 p.m.
Friends remembered Knowlton as a kind and respectful person who cared deeply for others and the environment.
FWC extended condolences to Knowlton’s family and loved ones and said the investigation into the fatal boating incident remains ongoing.