Florida Police, Coast Guard Halt Unmanned Boat in Sarasota Bay

A Sarasota police marine unit, with assistance from multiple agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard and SeaTow, responded after a boater was thrown overboard and his unmanned vessel began circling at high speed in Sarasota Bay. The operator, who was returning from a boat show, was ejected when a larger boat cut in front of him, creating a wake. The vessel continued at about 40 mph until law enforcement and SeaTow managed to slow it with a plasma tow line, allowing an officer to leap aboard and bring it to a stop. The boater suffered minor injuries and was not wearing a life jacket nor using the boat’s emergency engine cut-off switch, both of which authorities emphasized could have prevented the dangerous situation. No damage was reported to the vessels involved. Police used the incident to remind the public about the importance of safety measures like life jackets and engine cut-off switches.