One person is dead and three are still missing after an 18-foot vessel capsized near Goat Island on St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida Friday evening.
The Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department responded to a report of a capsized vessel with multiple people in the water around 8 p.m., Captain Eric Prosswimmer told NBC News. Four people were on top of the boat while four more were possibly underneath it, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, which also responded to the incident.
The four on top of the vessel were rescued from the water, the Coast Guard said.
“A Coast Guard Station Mayport rescue surface swimmer attempted to contact the people reportedly underneath the vessel but received no responses,” the Coast Guard said in news release. “Divers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office searched underneath the vessel but did not locate any people.”
The search for the four remaining people continued via boats, search and dive teams, helicopters and drones. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also assisted with the search.
“One of the four missing was found and unfortunately was deceased,” Prosswimmer said. Officials did not identify the victim.
The search for the remaining three, an adult and two minors, continued throughout the night without success, according to officials. The search resumed Saturday morning.
The cause of the boat capsizing is under investigation, the Coast Guard said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
