WATCH: Unmanned boat circles at high speed off Florida after boater thrown overboard
SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — A terrifying situation was caught on camera as an unmanned vessel circled in Florida waters Monday afternoon when a boater went overboard.
On Monday, members of the Sarasota Marine Unit responded to a boating incident north of the Ringling Museum regarding a boater in distress.
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The boater was thought to have fallen overboard his 26-foot Everglades vessel, leaving it spinning in circles at 40 mph.
With the help of the Coast Guard, the sheriff's office, Venice police and SeaTow, officials attempted to foul the boat's motor with tow lines. When that strategy failed, SeaTow deployed a plasma tow line to slow the boat down.
Video captured from Officer Dixon's patrol vessel shows authorities maneuvering alongside the vessel, after the situation required them to jump from their patrol boat to bring the unmanned one to a halt. Lieutenant King can be seen jumping ship and stopping the circling vessel.
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The unmanned boat's operator told officers he was returning the boat after the weekend's Boat Show at Marina Jack when a larger boat cut him off, according to the report. Trying to navigate the wake, the operator said he was thrown overboard.
Police said the man was not wearing a life jacket and did not use the emergency cut-off switch.
The operator only sustained minor injuries from the incident. No damage was reported for the man's boat or the responding law enforcement boats.
Sarasota police are using this situation to remind boaters to always wear a life jacket and to use their emergency engine cut-off to prevent accidents or injury.
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