Dozens of people on a casino shuttle boat were forced to jump overboard and swim to shore after the watercraft caught on fire off the Florida coast, according to various news reports.
A 42-year-old woman who was reportedly onboard has died, according to Spectrum BayNews9.
The Pasco County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death after deputies were called to Bayonet Regional Medical Center at about 1 a.m.
The SunCruz Port Richey Casino shuttle caught fire Sunday afternoon with 50 passengers aboard, according to PCSO. Witnesses said passengers were jumping into the chilly waters of the Gulf of Mexico to escape the blaze.
Video shot by nearby boaters shows the vessel along the shoreline engulfed in flames with smoke billowing high into the sky.
"All passengers were able to make it to shore where EMS treated them," according to a statement from the sheriff's office.
According to Pasco County fire officials, 15 people complained of chest pain and smoke inhalation and were taken for treatment, according to the Associated Press. It is not known if the woman in question was among those 15 people.
It's still unclear what started the fire, which obliterated most of the shuttle boat. The boat is used to take passengers to and from the SunCruz Port Richey Casino boat.
___
(c)2018 Miami Herald
Visit Miami Herald at www.miamiherald.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
