yacht accident miami

Man dead and another hospitalized after boat hits ferry near Miami port

MIAMI — A man was killed early Sunday and cruise line arrivals were disrupted after a 30-foot boat hit a ferry near Miami, authorities said.

Another man was hospitalized in serious condition after the boat hit the Fisher Island Ferry about 3:40 a.m. local time.

The man was pulled from the water by ferry workers, and he told them about his missing friend before he was taken to a hospital, the Miami Herald reported.

The missing man was later found dead.

The accident happened near Dodge Island, which has a row of cruise ship terminals.

Three cruise lines had to change unloading procedures after The U.S. Coast Guard set up a temporary security zone that limited traffic in and out of PortMiami while the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigates the crash, the newspaper reported.

The Associated Press

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More than a dozen injured after tour boat collides with another vessel in Miami dock

It is not yet known what led up to the boat crash, article bookmarked.

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More than a dozen people were hospitalized after two boats crashed at a dock in Miami .

More than 30 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the incident Sunday afternoon, along with emergency responders from the US Coast Guard, City of Miami Fire Rescue, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

At least 13 people were transported to hospital, officials said. One had to be airlifted, Telemundo 51 Miami reported.

It is not yet known how many people were on each vessel, one of which is a tourist boat. There have not been any fatalities reported as of Monday evening.

As many as 29 people may have been injured, officials told WSVN 7News . “We got a report that 20-somewhat patients were affected,” Division Chief Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Horacio Rodriguez told the outlet.

The cause of the crash is not yet known, and authorities have launched an investigation.

Rabbi Yossi Harlig of the Chabad Center of Kendall told NBC Miami his sister and brother-in-law, who had been on one of the boats with their four children, were among the injured.

"My sister broke some bones, her husband broke some ribs, they feel on one end a lot of pain for what happened and [are] concerned about the kids," Rabbi Harlig said. "But they feel also thankful to God they were on the left side of the boat, that’s where the boat came in, the children were on the right side of the boat, they feel thankful that the kids weren’t on their side of the boat."

Rabbi Harlig said the family had been celebrating one of the boy’s bar mitzvahs.

"My sister said she turned around [at] the last second and saw the boat crashing right into her, what happened, they’re not even sure themselves," he said. "It was very traumatic for them, no kid should watch such an accident, seeing their parents on the floor, seeing other people bleeding, it was very traumatic for them."

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Victims of fatal boat crash involving Fisher Island Ferry identified as investigation continues

Cristian gaston fernandez, 27, was killed in the sunday morning collision; angel dominguez, 29, was seriously injured, by brian hamacher and heather walker • published june 26, 2023 • updated on june 26, 2023 at 7:14 pm.

Authorities have identified the victims of Sunday's boat collision in Miami that left one man dead and another hospitalized , as the investigation into the crash continued.

The crash happened around 3:30 a.m. when a 32-foot boat collided with the 146-foot Fisher Island Ferry just east of Pilot House Station at Dodge Island, not far from Port of Miami, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

One of the men on the smaller boat, 29-year-old Angel Dominguez, of Hialeah, was assisted by people on the ferry and taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, officials said.

The body of a second man who was on the smaller boat, 27-year-old Cristian Gaston Fernandez, of Cutler Bay, was found by Miami Fire Rescue divers, officials said.

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Family members told NBC6 the two men have been friends for years and that Fernandez's death is devastating for both families.

Russ Ramirez said he ran into the two men at a yacht party.

"It was like a party, everyone was there to have a good time," Ramirez said. "We were just talking, having a good time.

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He said he was about to get on their boat shortly before the crash but decided against it. Ramirez said he decided to snap a picture to capture the moment but he had no idea it would be one of the last pictures of Fernandez alive.

“I was in shock because it could have easily been me. I could have easily have just gone with them," he said.

According to an FWC report released Monday, Dominguez was operating the boat and Fernandez was his passenger.

The report said the boat, a 1997 Scorpion center console, struck the ferry, which had three people on board. None of the three people on the ferry were injured.

The report said whether alcohol was involved in the crash was unknown. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

"Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the victims. This is an active investigation," the FWC said in a statement Monday.

Members of FWC and the U.S. Coast Guard were at the scene for several hours Sunday, rerouting tour groups that were set to depart from a blocked-off area of the nearby Miami Beach Marina.

The crash also had the nearby Port of Miami closed for several hours, leaving hundreds stuck on cruise ships or in terminals .

The port eventually reopened around 6 p.m.

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Passenger's Video Captures Terrifying Moment of High Speed Tour Boat Collision Near Miami

T he bow of a charter boat can be seen plowing into the side of the "Thriller" tour boat in the clip, which was released by the law firm representing several passengers

• Two tour boats collided near PortMiami on Sunday, Feb. 10, leaving 13 people injured 
• A passenger aboard the Thriller boat recorded the moment of the high-speed crash 
• 30 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units rushed to the scene at the time of the incident
• Several passengers are now suing, their lawyers confirmed to PEOPLE

A passenger aboard one of the tour boats that crashed in Miami last month captured the horrifying moment of impact.

In a video shared on Instagram by Mausner Graham Injury Law PLLC (the firm representing several people injured in the crash), the passenger starts recording herself while seated on a Miami tour boat called the Thriller. She pans the camera to reveal the Miami skyline while the boat speeds through the water. The faces of all passengers, including hers, have been blurred to protect their privacy.

As music can be heard playing and other passengers appear carefree in the clip, a second boat, a private charter vessel, then comes into frame in the background clearly heading toward the Thriller.

In the next few seconds, some of the passengers start screaming as it quickly becomes clear that the boats are going to collide.

The video goes dark as the bow of the charter boat smashes into the Thriller. 

Both boats were traveling through Fishermans Channel near PortMiami on Sunday, Feb. 10 when the incident occurred. At least 30 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) units rushed to the scene.

Related: JetBlue Passenger's Alleged 'Bomb' Joke Lands Him in Jail on His Birthday

Following the incident, MDFR confirmed that 13 passengers were injured and transported to a local hospital. Mausner Graham Injury Law PLLC, which specializes in maritime law, said in an Instagram caption that a total of 29 individuals were affected.   

In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Friday, the law firm said, “Our clients suffered serious and permanent injuries due to the negligence of both vessels. We intend to hold both vessels responsible for this terrible incident.”

Thriller Miami Speedboat Adventures did not immediately reply to PEOPLE's request for comment.

The severity of the crash prompted City of Miami Fire, U.S. Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to also respond to the scene. 

Related: Watch Nick Jonas Get Clobbered by Waves on Boat Ride in Sydney Harbor

At the time of the incident, U.S. Coast Guard officials told NBC 6 South Florida that no passengers aboard the private charter vessel were injured. A vessel inspection requirement was issued for the Thriller before they can operate again, per the outlet.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

According to the Thriller’s official website , the speedboat can reach up to 40 mph and is meant to take tourists on the “ultimate sightseeing experience” around Miami.

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Read the original article on People .

3 hospitalized after boat crashes near Black Point Marina; cause under investigation

HOMESTEAD, FLA. (WSVN) - A boat carrying three individuals crashed several miles off Black Point Marina on Tuesday afternoon, prompting a response from officials and good Samaritans.

The incident occurred just after 2 p.m., approximately 2 1/2 miles northeast of the marina. Details regarding the cause of the crash remain unknown at this time.

According to photojournalist Ralph Rayburn, quick-thinking good Samaritans successfully rescued all three occupants from the water.

The victims’ identities and conditions have yet to be disclosed, and the total number of injuries remains uncertain.

7Skyforce provided aerial coverage of the scene as emergency response teams from various agencies, including the Marine Patrol, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, and Miami-Dade Police Department, arrived.

Video footage from 7Skyforce also showed a rescue official administering CPR to one of the individuals, as well as a damaged vessel believed to be the one carrying the three individuals.

Air rescue rushed one person to the hospital who was seriously hurt. The other two victims on board were placed on stretchers and were also taken to the hospital but appeared to be OK.

A friend of a witness told 7News off camera that he was on the water, saw a splash, went towards the boat and saw it spinning. According to him, he helped the three people that were on board the boat and pulled one person out of the water.

Another witness, Kenneth Rodriguez, was on another boat that stopped to help the trio.

“As we’re coming back towards Black Point and the bay, we saw a boat spinning in circles, and usually that’s not a good sign,” said Kenneth Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was out on the water and immediately knew something was wrong. He said another boat was already there helping and he did what he could too.

“We gave them water, we just checked up, we just waited until the police came,” he said.

Investigators Tuesday night pulled the damaged boat out of the water as pieces of the vessel were scattered all over the water.

“They said that they lost control, lost power, lost steering,” Rodriguez said.

As investigators continue looking into what caused this incident, Kenneth said, he doesn’t know what happened either but wants to remind people to be as safe as possible on the water.

“I highly recommend everyone wear their lanyard for their kill switch and have all your safety equipment on board,” he said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are investigating the crash.

Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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• Cruise News

Port Miami Boat Accident Closes Harbor to Cruise Ships

Doug Parker

• June 25, 2023

Last Cruise Ship Leaves PortMiami at 3:00 a.m.

(Updated 7:45 a.m.) — The last cruise ship left PortMiami early this morning at 3:00 a.m. All vessels from Sunday are now out to sea with the new group of passengers.

Norwegian Escape arrived its private island of Great Stirrup Cay at 6:45 a..m. Carnival Celebration is bound for Amber Cove where she will arrive on Tuesday morning. MSC Seascape, which was the last to leave PortMiami this morning, will arrive Nassau, Bahamas at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Both channels in PortMiami, North Harbor (cruise ship lane) and the South Channel (cargo lane) are now open to maritime traffic and are moving as scheduled.

Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Conquest, and Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas are in port this morning and will leave on schedule this afternoon between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m.

This will be the last entry. You can find the latest article on the Miami boat accident here .

Cruise Departures Delayed Until Late Sunday

(Updated 6:20 p.m. ET) — The three cruise ships arriving late today because of the Miami boat accident early Sunday morning will depart South Florida late this evening.

MSC Seascape is calling for pilots at 10:00 p.m.

Carnival Celebration is calling for pilots at 11:00 p.m.

Norwegian Escape is calling for pilots at 11:59 p.m.

The schedule can change based on quickly the crew can turn the ships and provision the vessels.

Cruise ships due Monday are Carnival Conquest, Carnival Sunrise, and Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas.

Cruise Ships Now Entering PortMiami 

(Updated 3:20 p.m. ET) — Cruise ships are entering the harbor and will soon be positioned to dock. 

Departure times will vary depending on operations. If you are sailing, information will be provided by your respective cruise line. 

Any significant updates will be posted on this story until the last ship leaves this evening. 

Pilots Waiting to Board Cruise Ships

(Updated 3:00 p.m. ET) — The Biscayne Bay Pilots are ready to bring the three cruise ships into port. 

Norwegian Escape, MSC Seascape, and Carnival Celebration are underway and heading towards the sea buoy, where the harbor pilot will board the vessels and bring them up the North Channel. 

The ships are currently stacked up in a single file line for entry with Norwegian Escape, MSC Seascape, and Carnival Celebration.

What happens next?

After the ships are docked and cleared by local authorities, all three ships will each have to offload between five and six thousand guests, before embarking on the next cruise. 

Along with offloading guests, the ships must also be provided with food and supplies, and do crew sign on and sign-offs. 

MSC Cruises sent a note to booked guests telling them not to expect embarkation to begin any time before 5:00 p.m. In turn, delaying the departure of MSC Seascape for approximately four hours. 

NCL advises guests that they may not start boarding until this evening, while Carnival Cruise Line’s latest update says they will provide another update at 4:40 p.m.

Miami expects thunderstorms throughout the afternoon, which could add an extra challenge to turning the vessels.

Vessel Recovered, Cruise Port is Reopening

(Updated 2:41 p.m. ET) — The tug, barge and divers are out of the channel and it is now reopening.

The Southeast USCG Southeast sector tweeted , Crews have successfully recovered the sunken vessel & removed the obstruction in the North channel. The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port has authorized a reopening of PortMiami to all vessel traffic. 

Cruise Ships Wait While Divers Recover Sunken Boat

(Updated 2:25 p.m. ET) — A large barge and rescue divers continue to occupy the North Channel of PortMiami as teams try to recover a sunken vessel from the bottom of the channel. 

As a deep water port and home to both mega cruise and cargo ships . As of 2020, the main channel’s water depth is anywhere between 36 and 52 foot deep. 

In a statement from the Coast Guard, “Crews and partner agencies continue work to complete the investigation, salvage, and pollution mitigation efforts with dive teams to safely clear the North channel of the sunken vessel obstruction following the fatal boat collision this morning in PortMiami.”

Coast Guard: All Vessels Must Stay 900 Feet Away 

(Updated 1:55 p.m. ET) — The U.S. Coast Guard released a statement on Twitter regarding the area of the sunken vessel, which is in the North Channel of PortMiami.

The incident happened in the main channel, just east of Dodge Island, which is where cruise ships dock.

“This safety zone temporarily closes the North shipping channel to navigation. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Miami. 

Coast Guard and local law enforcement marine units may enforce the safety zone from 11 A.M. on June 25th until the vessel is removed and investigation has concluded. The safety zone will cover navigable waters within 300 yards of the submersed vessel.

No vessel or person will be permitted to enter the safety zone without permission from the COTP or a designated representative.

Thank you for your understanding & support of our commitment to ensuring the safety & security of the ports & waterways of South Florida.”

U.S. Coast Guard Gives Update on Cruise Port Closure

(Updated 1:20 p.m. ET) — The U.S. Coast Guard has announced the South Channel is open to maritime traffic but the cruise ship channel (North Channel) remains closed due to a “sunken obstruction.”

15,000 cruisers remain off the coast in South Florida as a Miami boat accident has shutdown the waterway to all maritime traffic into PortMiami.

The U.S. Coast Guard is calling the area an “active security zone” while the investigation continues to be underway. The Fisher Island ferry and a pleasure craft that collided at 3:45 a.m. The accident left one dead and one injured.

All three cruise ships are in the Miami Beach anchorage area which is right off the coast of South Beach in approximately 100 feet of water.

Carnival Text Update for Carnival Celebration

(Updated 1:30 p.m. ET) — “We remain in touch with port officials. Salvage crews are working to remove the accident vessel from the channel.

We do not know when the process will be completed, but the ship is in position to head into the port once we are cleared to do so.

We will continue to monitor the situation and provide another update by 3:00 PM (ET). Please do not proceed to the cruise terminal until you receive our final update.

This is not the way we expected to start your cruise, and we appreciate your patience and understanding.”

Norwegian Gives Update to Embarking Guests

(Updated 12:40 p.m. ET) — A guest embarking Norwegian Escape told Cruise Radio via Twitter that the cruise line advised them that Escape wouldn’t be docking until 4:00 this afternoon.

The cruise line has set up stations providing guests with water and chips, and providing free shuttle service to Bayside Marketplace.

All three cruise ships remain at anchorage until the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities give clearance.

Carnival PortMiami Update

(Updated 11:30 a.m. ET) — PortMiami remains closed and the ship is still awaiting clearance to sail in. Due to limited seating capacity, please do not proceed to the cruise terminal until you receive our final update.

While you wait, you may visit one of the local areas, such as Bayside Marketplace, South Beach, Wynwood, Downtown Miami, and Brickell neighborhoods.

We will post a US$20, per person, onboard credit so you can enjoy lunch on us today.

The next update to be issued by Carnival Crusie Line will be by 1:00 PM ET.

Carnival Cruise Line issues Update

(Updated 10:00 a.m. ET) — PortMiami is still closed to all marine traffic. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide another update by 12:00 PM (ET). Please do not proceed to the cruise terminal until you receive our final update. We apologize for the delay. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.

Port Miami Closed to Cruise Ships

(Updated 9:15 a.m. ET) — A Port Miami boat accident in the early hours of Sunday morning has delayed the arrival of all PortMiami cruise ships and cargo vessels.

According to a social media report by local news affiliate WPLG, the incident involved a car Ferry. “One man dead, a second pulled from the water, after 30-foot boat collided with a Fisher Island car ferry in the Government Cut channel around 3:40 this morning,” tweeted reporter (and self-proclaimed cruise lover) Trent Kelly. “Surviving victim was taken to Ryder Trauma in serious condition.”

He added that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee are in charge of the currently-unfolding investigation.

Currently, approximately 15,000 cruise passengers are waiting out the closure in the anchorage area of PortMiami, along with numerous cargo vessels. The closure will also impact all cruise guests embarking on Sunday afternoon.

Miami Boat Accident Delays Cruisers

Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald posted the following on his Facebook page: “I know many of you reading this are excited to be joining our flagship today, so I felt it important that I share this with you.”

It went on to say, “As a result of a boating incident, PortMiami is currently closed to all marine traffic and Carnival Celebration will be delayed docking this morning.”

In a text to booked guests, Carnival asked that they not arrive at the cruise port until advised that they should do so. The hope is that the terminal will not become overrun with embarking and disembarking guests by delaying the arrival of embarking passengers. Heald promised a further update by noon.

Carnival Celebration, Norwegian Escape , and MSC Seascape are awaiting entrance.

This story will be updated as further details are released.

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Man dies after being knocked off boat, into propeller while fishing off Key West

Chris Gothner , Digital Journalist

KEY WEST, Fla. – A Pennsylvania boater died Sunday after going overboard in the waters south of Key West, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

FWC investigators said Timothy Adam Christianson, 35, was operating the 24-foot Sea Fox with another man on board. The two were fishing at the time, about a half-mile off the coast.

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An FWC spokesperson said the boat hit a wave just before 10 a.m., knocking Christianson overboard and into the boat’s propeller, killing him.

“The vessel was in gear, at trolling speed, with no one at the helm,” an FWC investigator wrote in the report.

The incident remained under investigation as of Monday, authorities said.

Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Chris gothner.

Chris Gothner joined the Local 10 News team in 2022 as a Digital Journalist.

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Boating Accidents & Injury Compensation

How a personal injury lawsuit can help you stay afloat financially after a boating accident

There are roughly 12 million recreational water vessels registered in the United States. This number doesn’t include non-recreational vessels used for occupations like longshoring, drilling , and commercial fishing.

Though some people think bodies of water are run like the Wild West, the truth is that oceans, rivers, and lakes in and around the United States are actually heavily regulated. This means that a boating accident could implicate any number of federal and state laws.

Common types and causes of boating accidents

A boating accident occurs when a vessel is involved in an incident that causes harm to another person. This harm might take the form of physical injury or property damage.

According to a report from the US Coast Guard, the 5 most common types of boating accidents are:

• Collisions with other vessels
• Collisions with fixed objects
• Falls overboard

Other common accident types include:

• Mishaps involving a skier or person on a towable object
• Carbon monoxide poisoning

The factors that commonly contribute to boating accidents can be grouped into 5 categories: boating operations, loading of passengers or gear, boat or boat equipment failures, environment, and miscellaneous.

Federal and state boating laws

Boating accidents tend to be more complicated than car accidents , truck accidents , and other types of transportation accidents. This is due to the fact that, depending on the nature and location of the boating accident, a number of federal and state laws may be implicated.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the federal and state laws that might apply to your boating accident.

Federal boating laws

Federal laws (called “maritime” or “admiralty” laws) generally govern boating accidents that occur:

• On navigable waters (bodies of water that provide a channel for the transportation of goods and people), and
• Involve traditional maritime activities (commercial activities rather than recreational activities).

Some examples of federal laws that may govern commercial boating accidents include:

• The Oil Pollution Act enforces the removal of oil spillage and implements processes for determining damages.
• The Death on the High Seas Act creates a wrongful death claim for families of deceased sailors if the sailor was killed by negligence on international waters.
• The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act covers the outer Continental Shelf of the United States.
• The Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act provides compensation and vocational rehabilitation to injured workers, or compensation to the families of the deceased.
• The Jones Act protects Americans who work at sea.

State boating laws

In addition to federal boating laws, state laws govern most non-navigable-water accidents (for example, a boat accident that occurs on a lake). Specific laws vary from state to state, but most state laws address issues like:

• Ownership and registration of vessels
• License and education requirements
• Mandatory accident reporting
• Duties of boat operators
• Boating while under the influence

Determining liability in a boating accident

As is the case with car accidents, you generally have to prove that some other party was negligent in a boating accident in order to recover damages for your injuries. This means you’ll have to prove that your injuries were caused by another party’s breach of their duty of reasonable care.

Common examples of individuals and parties that may be held liable for boating accidents include:

• A boat operator
• A boat owner
• A manufacturer
• An employer

For example, if you collide with another boat on a lake, you’ll have to prove these three things:

• The boat operator owed you a duty of care,
• The boat operator breached that duty of care, and
• The breach was the proximate cause of your injuries.

Just like motor vehicle drivers, boat operators are required to exercise reasonable care to avoid hurting others out on the water. A boat operator might breach this duty by operating their boat under the influence or by driving at an excessive speed.

If you rented a vessel from a marina, you most likely signed a waiver that disclaimed liability for the boat owner. Depending on the circumstances, this contract might not be enforceable. The contract language will need to be examined, as well as the conditions under which the contract was signed.

You can locate an attorney in your area here .

Compensable damages in a boating accident.

If negligence can be proven, most states will allow you to recover:

• Medical expenses
• Loss of wages and work time
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma
• Property damage

If a wrongful death occurs because of the boating accident, certain family members of the deceased will, in most cases, be able to recover funeral costs, lost companionship, and the deceased's lost wages.

Work-related boating accidents

If you were injured in a boating accident while on the job, one of the federal workers’ compensation statutes probably applies. Determining which statute applies and what steps need to be taken to ensure your claim is accepted can be difficult.

Steps to take after a boating accident

Though we all like to think that accidents only happen to other people, the fact is there were 4,145 boating accidents in 2018 — and 2018 was actually a down year. Accidents can happen to anyone (yes, even you) and knowing what to do in the event of an incident can mean the difference between an embarrassing mishap and a life-changing accident.

Here are some steps to take following a boating accident:

• Step 1: Assess the damage . The most important step to take immediately following a boating accident is to take stock of any injuries, including your own. This means checking all passengers and making sure no one has fallen overboard. If the boat appears to have been damaged, make sure everyone is wearing a life jacket and drop anchor to avoid drifting into more trouble.
• Step 2: Call for help . If you have cell service, call 911. Otherwise, use a VHF radio to make a distress call.
• Step 3: Collect information . Keeping in mind that you might need to file an insurance claim or lawsuit later on, so safely collect as much information about the accident as you can. This includes the names and contact information of any witnesses, the names and contact information of any other parties involved (such as the operator of the other boat in the case of a boat-on-boat collision), and photographs of any injuries or damage.
• Step 4: File the proper paperwork . Submit a Boating Accident Report (BAR) with the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction where the accident occurred.
• Step 5: Locate and meet with an attorney . An experienced boating attorney can help you investigate the accident, file an insurance claim or lawsuit, and collect the damages you’re owed.

Connect to top-rated lawyers in seconds using our comprehensive national directory

Inside Florida's 'Little Moscow,' where Russian money flows thanks to 'rich daddies' snapping up real estate

• "Little Moscow" is the nickname for Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, which is flowing with Russian money.
• Previously a strip of motels, the island was revitalized in the 1990s with luxury developments.
• Many Russians snapped up properties, but they're afraid sanctions could prevent them from buying more .

Welcome to "Little Moscow."

Like its namesake city, it's home to many Russian elites. Unlike it's namesake city, it's located on a small strip of land near Miami: Sunny Isles Beach, Florida.

"They love to be here, and they like to spend their money and enjoy their life," Lana Bell, a real-estate agent, recently told the News Nation correspondent Brian Entin , referring to her wealthy Russian clientele.

Russian money has brought a real-estate boom to the region over the years, but now these power players are afraid they might not be able to enjoy the Miami sunshine much longer. As Entin reported, they're worried the escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict will blacklist them from buying American real estate, although Bell said it hasn't been a problem so far.

However, existing sanctions from past political events already slowed their buying efforts in recent years, and Biden has said the US will seize luxury apartments from Russian oligarchs with wealth parked in the country. But not all of Little Moscow's residents are wealthy, and not all of them support the war. 

Here's a look at the rise of Little Moscow and the lives of the Russians who made it happen.

Sunny Isles Beach is a 1.5-mile strip of island that sits between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway in South Florida. It's about a 40-minute drive to downtown Miami, depending on traffic.

Sunny Isles Beach is located in northeastern Miami-Dade county. As of 2020, it's home to 22,342 people . The most recent data from the Census' American Community Survey that tracked population from 2015 to 2019 shows that there are 1,079 Russian-born residents living there — more than any country in Europe or Asia.

It's a place where beachfront high-rise hotels and condos dot the coastline, towering over an idyllic scene of white-sand beaches and sparkling turquoise water. Compared to the dark and brutal winters of Russia, it's a slice of paradise.

Before becoming a Russian luxury hot spot, the city was full of quirk and charm thanks to beachfront motels and tourists.

Fred Grimm wrote in the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the city was "once a linear tableau of South Florida kitsch, a seaside strip of themed motels, offering homage to ancient Egypt, Rome, the wild west, Polynesia, American Indians and so many nautical motifs, including Neptune and his water nymphs."

"Motel Row," a strip of 30 motels along the beach, was built in the 1950s and 1960s, when the city was known as Sunny Isles (before that it was called North Miami Beach). Tourism slowed its roll in the 1970s, resuming some 20 years later when most of the motels were replaced with luxury hotels, and Sunny Isles was renamed Sunny Isles Beach.

The city's luxury-development boom that first began in the 1990s revitalized the city's economy, which began to see an influx of wealth.

The median home value in Sunny Isles is $555,042 , higher than the $469,562 median home value in Miami. The most expensive home in the area currently listed on Sotheby's is $13.9 million , and condos can cost as much as  $35 million . 

It's a place of well-known luxury. Consider the Porsche Design Tower , where residents can use an elevator for their cars. And the iconic Acqualina Resort was named the country's best continental resort four years in a row by US News & World Report . Nightly rates at the five-star resort start at $2,500 a night . 

Among these developments are several Trump Towers, a brand that has held a huge appeal among Russian investors looking to move their money in the post-Soviet economy.

Trump doesn't actually own the buildings but licensed the use of his name there, The Washington Post reported . Real-estate agents told the Post in 2016 that Trump's name carries weight among the European, South American, and Asian elite, but especially among Russian oligarchs.

"When Russians get here, the first thing they ask is, 'Where is the Trump building?'" Ilya Masarsky, real-estate developer who has worked with Russian investors in the US, told The Post. 

Jose Lima, a salesperson for the company that developed the region's Trump towers, said at the time that Russian speakers bought about one-third of the 500 units he sold. 

A 2017 Reuters investigation found that at least 63 members of Russia's elite spent nearly $100 million buying property in Trump buildings in the region, including the nearby city of Hollywood. Reuters called some of the buyers "politically connected businessmen," adding that none seemed to be part of Putin's inner circle.

"Russian patriots are happy here; Sunny Isles is a happy place," Bell, the real-estate agent, told The Daily Beast in 2019 . "Russian men make money at home, they visit their Miami property just for a few months in winter. Some of these rich daddies are in their fifties or older, while their women are in their twenties; the beach is packed with really young pregnant Russian girls, girls with babies." 

A past Miami Herald investigation found that some of these buyers were the targets of US government investigations. Experts in illicit financing said Russian money gave the city its nickname of Little Moscow.

The Miami Herald found in 2016 that at least 13 personal or company buyers in the Trump Towers were investigated by the government, including a Russian-American organized-crime group and a Mexican banker accused of robbing investors. It also found that about 60% of the units are owned by shell companies, which only hold assets like real estate and can be involved in money laundering.

Experts more recently told the Herald's Michael Wilner that illicit financing has helped Russians spend years snapping up properties along Florida's southeastern coast. They estimated that Russia's elite had more than $1 trillion in offshore accounts, which they said was disproportionally held in South Florida property.

As Julia Friedlander, director of the Atlantic Council's Economic Statecraft Initiative, told the publication, "We know what's happening based on patterns of behavior and observations from various sources, just like parts of Manhattan and parts of London. They're known as places where real estate will reliably retain its value."

The greater Miami region that Sunny Isles Beach is part of is also a popular place for birth tourism. Russian women have fueled a baby boom there in recent years.

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As NBC News reported in 2018 , having a baby in Miami is considered a status symbol in Moscow. Russian birth tourists told the publication that giving birth there means getting an American passport and better medical care. It's a legal act, as long as documents are filled out honestly, that allows their children the right to American citizenship and to sponsor their parents for a green card once they turn 21.

Wealthier Russians even hire agencies that offer birth-tourism packages that cost anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000, according to NBC News. Some of these companies offer Trump apartments as part of the package, the Daily Beast's Katie Zavadski reported . For $84,700, expectant Russian mothers can get an apartment in a Trump Tower with a gold-tiled bathtub and chauffeured Mercedes-Benz. 

Not all of the money flowing into Little Moscow is from Russia, nor is it all "dirty." And not all of the people who live there are wealthy.

The Herald's Wilner reported that the area has also seen investments by overseas buyers in Europe and Latin America.

And, as Ari Odzer reported for local outlet NBC Miami , Sunny Isles Beach is also a sanctuary for refugees from the old Soviet Union and Russians on tourist visas. For this reason, he said, it's also known as Little Kyiv, Little Odessa, and Little Minsk. 

Locals told Odzer that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is dividing residents, with some supporting Putin and others who don't but are too afraid to say anything. Odzer wrote "the fear of Putin is a real phenomenon," considering he could barely get any Russians to speak on the record about their president.

Russian real-estate purchasing has been slowing down in recent years because of sanctions.

Tightened US sanctions in light of Moscow's interference in the US elections, as well as the Kremlin banning thousands of rich Russian law-enforcement officials from traveling abroad, left many Russians renting or selling their Sunny Isles Beach condos, the Daily Beast's Anna Nemstova reported in 2019 . 

"Russians can be easily recognized by their Bentleys and Rolls-Royces," Bell, the Russian real-estate agent, told Nemstova at the time. "But this year the sales have gone down. It is becoming problematic for the Russian elite to take their money out of the country; and here the rules demand full disclosure, the name of the buyer and the source of money."

However, Little Moscow still held the attention of "Russian corrupt bureaucrats," Ilya Shumanov, the deputy head of Transparency International, added. Those who could still travel came during the winter and conducted deals at restaurants in the Bal Harbor mall before returning home to conduct business again, Nemstova wrote.

Brokers also recently told Wilner that Russian purchases have dwindled in the past few years, but said that could change with new developments like the Bentley Tower and the St. Regis Sunny Isles.

Now, Russian elites in the area are worried new sanctions stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict could prevent them from buying real estate.

President Joe Biden issued sanctions last week targeting Russia's elite and their families and restricting the Kremlin's ability to access Western financial institutions.

"We are extending the reach of US sanctions to prevent the elites close to Putin from using their kids to hide assets, evade costs, and squander the resources of the Russian people," a National Security Council official told Wilner. "This is a new approach."

While Little Moscow's elites are worried future sanctions will threaten their lifestyle, experts told Wilner the sanctions currently in place were unlikely to have a strong effect in South Florida. 

Anders Åslund, a Swedish economist and the author of "Russia's Crony Capitalism: The Path From Market Economy to Kleptocracy," doesn't think this will affect the Russian rich in the greater Miami region that Little Moscow is in. He told Wilner that the Miami Russians weren't powerful enough to feel the sanction burn.

As he put it, "These are comfortable people, rather than the top people."

• Main content

Former congressman named in crash report. Why he was cited in updated Florida traffic law

• Howard Cohen, Miami Herald (TNS)

A citation report naming former U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn has been issued by the Florida Highway Patrol days after witnesses say he crashed into the back of a Florida state trooper’s car in a construction zone on I-75 in Collier County on April 15.

The trooper sustained minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital after the crash, Florida Highway Patrol had said. Cawthorn, 28, was a Republican representative for North Carolina elected in 2021. He served one term that ended in 2023 after he  lost a reelection bid  to former state Sen. Chuck Edwards.

According to the citation, which lists his full name as David Madison Cawthorn of Cape Coral, the former congressman was charged with violating Florida’s recently reinforced Move Over Law.

The new amendment to a 2002 traffic law, enacted and heavily promoted in January by members of FHP and the Florida Department of Transportation, requires drivers to  shift over one lane  — or reduce speed if moving into another lane isn’t safe — for “any stopped law enforcement, emergency, sanitation, and utility service vehicles, tow trucks or wreckers, and maintenance or construction vehicles with displayed warning lights.”

Cawthorn’s violation, according to the Collier County citation, is that he “failed to move over for a FHP unit with emergency lights activated.” Failure to move over for emergency/wreckers/sanitation/utility service vehicle was also listed.

Cawthorn was not charged with any other traffic offense. The civil penalty is listed at $133.

According to  FHP Policy 17.06 , “In the case of two or more hazardous moving violations, members shall charge the offense with the best available evidence and only make one charge, except when a DUI or other serious incident (misdemeanor, felony) may require an additional charge.”

Lt. Jim Beauford, in an email response to the Miami Herald, noted he was not the crash investigator, nor did he advise or suggest that more than one hazardous moving violation occurred during the accident between Cawthorn and the trooper. The chief of public affairs for FHP pointed to the department’s policy and said in general “that if more than one hazardous moving violation occurred in a crash, then it would be routine in nature for the investigating trooper to only cite the offense with the best available evidence and only make one charge.”

Cawthorn could not be reached by telephone for comment. There was no response to an email query.

According to a Miami Herald story a day after Monday’s accident, a 2021 Mercedes-Benz rear-ended a Florida Highway Patrol Dodge Charger in a construction zone in Collier County, according to an FHP statement.

The agency didn’t identify Cawthorn as the driver at the time. But a woman  posted a TikTok video on X  on Monday afternoon after the crash. The post and her text show what appeared to be the former congressman in his wheelchair on the side of the highway near the Mercedes-Benz. The black car had front end damage. The man she identified in all-caps as congressman Cawthorn was also seen speaking with an FHP trooper.

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Cawthorn was partially paralyzed in a 2014 car crash near Daytona Beach while traveling back to North Carolina from a spring break trip to Florida.

The woman, who said she was heading to Miami at the time of Monday’s accident on I-75, wrote in her post that the same black tinted sports car involved in the crash with the FHP trooper had been “tailgating me relentlessly” just minutes before she came upon the scene at the construction site. She said she did not see the crash, but that she saw the aftermath.

Florida’s new Move Over law

Cawthorn’s citation for violating Florida’s rebooted “Move Over” law refers to the traffic rule that now requires drivers to move over a lane or at least slow down substantially or to a pace at least 20 miles under the posted speed limit when they see any stopped vehicle on the side of the road. Previously, the 22-year-old law only covered emergency and other official vehicles.

The penalty can range from $60 to $158.

“The easiest thing to remember is that if you see a vehicle stopped on the side of the road — regardless of what it is — just move over. It’s a common courtesy and it’s now the law,” Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Alex Camacho told the Miami Herald in January from FHP headquarters near Florida’s Turnpike.

©2024 Miami Herald. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Watch CBS News

Boat full of decomposing corpses spotted by fishermen off Brazil coast

April 15, 2024 / 6:43 AM EDT / AP

Bogota, Colombia  — A small boat full of decomposing corpses was spotted by fishermen off Brazil's northeastern coast on Saturday, according to local news reports. Brazil's Attorney General's office said in a statement that it had dispatched a forensics team to the area to determine where the bodies and the boat came from.

"Some reports say there could be up to 20 corpses" in the boat, the Attorney General's office said in a statement. The office announced it was opening a criminal and a civil investigation into the incident.

The boat was floating off the coast of the state of Para in a remote location about 185 miles from the state capital Belem.

• Pilot of packed migrant boat that sank off England convicted of manslaughter

It wasn't the first time that vessels carrying dead bodies were spotted by fishermen in the western side of the Atlantic Ocean. In 2021, at least seven boats full of corpses washed up in Brazil and the Eastern Caribbean.

Investigations by The Associated Press and local authorities determined that some of these boats carried the corpses of African migrants who were trying to make it to the Canary Islands, but had missed their target and had drifted for weeks in the Atlantic Ocean.

• Boat Accident

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2 young siblings killed, 15 hurt after car crashes into birthday party in Michigan

A suspected drunken driver killed two young siblings and injured over a dozen people when she drove into a birthday party at a boat club in Michigan on Saturday afternoon, according to the Monroe County Police Department.

At around 3 p.m., emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene after a 66-year-old woman crashed 25 feet into the building where the party was being held, states the county's sheriff department in a press release posted to Facebook .

The brother, 5, and sister, 8, were attending a birthday party at the Swan Boat Club in Monroe County, which is about 30 miles south of Detroit, according to the release.

The siblings were pronounced dead at the scene, states the sheriff's department.

Fifteen adults and children were injured, the release said. Of those 15, six adults and three children were transported to hospitals in the area by helicopter or ambulance with life-threatening injuries.

USA TODAY contacted the sheriff's department but has not heard back yet.

Who is the driver in the Michigan crash?

The woman, whose identity has not been confirmed, was taken into custody for operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death, the release said, adding that she is currently being held at the Monroe County Jail.

"Additional criminal charges will likely be brought against the driver as the investigation proceeds," the release said.

GoFundMe organized for family

Diane Harrington, who said she is the aunt of the siblings, created a GoFundMe to raise money and give the two children a "proper funeral and burial service."

According to the fundraiser, the siblings' mother and older brother were in critical condition at the time it was created.

So far, it has raised around $52,000 of its $100,000 goal. Money left over after funeral expenses will go to the family to help with housing and medical expenses, the GoFundMe page said.

"Yesterday during this tragic event the lives of two young children ... were lost," states a post from the boat club where the party was held. In another, it said it would remain closed until Sunday following the tragedy.

USA TODAY contacted the boat club, but it declined to comment.

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture.   You can follow her on  X, formerly known as Twitter ,  Instagram  and  TikTok : @juliamariegz