Body Of Missing Boater Found Near Miami Beach

MIAMI BEACH, FL — The body of a missing boater who disappeared on Easter Sunday was found off the coast of Miami Beach on Monday. Twenty-five-year-old Raul Menendez is believed to have fallen from the 91 foot "Miami Vice" during a charter sailing, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Miami Beach police. It was still not clear what caused Menendez to fall from the vessel.

"Remains found by the FWC and other responding agencies confirm that the victim is deceased, and FWC officers and dive team members continue to search the area," explained FWC's Rob Klepper. "We want to extend our heartfelt sympathies to the victim’s family."

Klepper did not immediately say whether alcohol is believed to be a factor in the incident.

"The FWC will be conducting a thorough boating incident investigation, but preliminary information indicates that the victim was struck by the vessel’s propellers," Klepper said. "More details regarding this incident are not available at this time. The vessel has been secured for further investigation."

Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department told Patch that the department's Marine Patrol Dive Team is assisting FWC with its investigation. First responders from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue also assisted in the search.

The incident occurred at 4:42 p.m. at Monument Island. There were nine people on the vessel at the time, including seven passengers, a captain and mate.

The ship's captain was identified as Mauricio Alvarez while the mate was identified as Andres Tarcisio.

Other passengers aboard the ship included Anthony Acosta, Nicole Marie Urbay, Maria Ashley McKenzie, Barrington Michael Oliver Wright, Yinelis Yisvel Martos and Cesar Meneses.

According to an online listing, the Miami Vice can be chartered for $5,000 per night. The listing said that the vessel holds up to 16 guests.

Meanwhile, on Friday morning, a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Fireboat rescued eight boaters from a 65-foot vessel that was taking on water 14 miles east of North Miami Beach.

"They found eight boaters from the vessel nearby on a 13-foot inflatable raft that had been deployed by the ship's captain," according to Erika Benitez of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. "The boaters had been afloat in the raft for one to two hours."

Fireboat 21 brought six of the passengers to Haulover Marina, while the captain and one other boater stayed behind with a Coast Guard crew to wait for a commercial salvage crew.

There were no injuries in that incident.

Photo By Paul Scicchitano