Watch Officers Take Control Of Unmanned Boat Going 40MPH In FL Waters

SARASOTA, FL — Officers took control of an unmanned boat after its driver fell overboard in waters just north of the Ringling Museum on Monday, the Sarasota Police Department said. (Watch a video of the incident below.)

Members of the agency’s Marine Unit responded to a call of a boater in distress in the area. Initial reports indicated that the vessel, a 26-foot Everglades, was circling unmanned at about 40 mph.

Officers worked with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, Venice Police Department and SeaTow “to safely bring the situation under control,” police said. After several tries to foul the boat’s motor with tow lines were unsuccessful, SeaTow was able to deploy a plasma tow line, slightly slowing the vessel.

This reduction in speed allowed Officer Dixon to safely maneuver alongside the vessel, providing Lieutenant King the opportunity to board and bring the boat to a stop.

The driver later told Marine Unit officers that he was returning the boat after the weekend’s Boat Show at Marina Jack when a larger vessel cut in front of him.

As he tried to navigate the wake, he was thrown from the boat, police said. The operator, who sustained minor injuries, was not wearing a life jacket and didn’t utilize the vessel’s emergency engine cut-off switch at the time of the incident.

No damage was reported to the boat.

Watch a video of officers stopping the unmanned boat: