‘Drunken’ boater’s fake story of crash sets off large rescue effort, FL cops say

A “drunken boater” set off a frenzied multi-agency rescue operation when he called 911 and reported a boat crash with one passenger missing, according to investigators in Florida.

Turns out the 44-year-old man’s boat had run out of gas and he was looking for assistance, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office said in a June 24 news release.

He got his much-needed ride back to shore, but it ended at the Indian River County jail, officials said.

It happened Monday, June 23, on the 6,555-acre Blue Cypress Lake, about an 85-mile drive southeast from Orlando.

“Our night shift units responded to the Blue Cypress Lake area after receiving a distress call from a boater claiming involvement in an airboat accident. The caller reported that he had flipped his vessel, was injured and that his passenger was missing,” the sheriff’s office said.

“This serious report mobilized a large rescue effort, including IRCSO Deputies, Fire Rescue, our Marine Unit, FWC, and even a United States Coast Guard Blackhawk helicopter dispatched from Florida’s West Coast.”

Suspicions were aroused when rescuers reached the boat and saw it wasn’t capsized.

“It was quickly determined that there was no crash, no missing passenger, and no injuries. Instead, the investigation revealed that the boater ... had simply run out of gas and concocted the story to expedite assistance,” the sheriff’s office said.

The Vero Beach man was arrested and charged with misuse of 911 and filing a false report of a missing person, jail records show. He has been released on bond.

“This incident is a reminder of the importance of responsible reporting to ensure emergency services remain available for true emergencies,” the sheriff’s office said.

This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 4:23 AM with the headline "‘Drunken’ boater’s fake story of crash sets off large rescue effort, FL cops say."