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1 dead, 1 injured in Indian River County boating accident

Posted at 3:00 PM, Jun 04, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-05 06:20:57-04

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. -- A 19-year-old Vero Beach man died in a boating accident in Indian River County on Saturday night.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says a single vessel accident happened just before midnight when a boat heading north on the Indian River in the intracoastal waterway near the 17th Street Bridge in Vero Beach struck a channel marker.

The boat carried 6 occupants. When the vessel struck the channel marker, 19-year-old Chance F. Rivero of Vero Beach was ejected into the water.

The vessel was able to turn around, located Rivero and pull him from the water.

The vessel met EMS at the Memorial Island Boat Ramp where the Rivero and another passenger were transported to the Indian River County Medical Center by ambulance.

Rivero was pronounced dead at the hospital due to blunt force trauma sustained during the accident.

Another passenger sustained lacerations on his spleen and other possible internal injuries.

Officials are continuing their investigation into the accident.