A routine day on the waters near St. Petersburg turned tragic when an unmanned boat collided with Stebbins Island, leading to the death of one individual. Pinellas County Sheriff's Office deputies have reported they were called to the scene at around 2:53 p.m. yesterday, after receiving a report of the boat crash.
The victim, identified as 56-year-old Pal Pataki, was participating in a sea trial, at the time of the incident. During the trial, Pataki, who was not the owner of the vessel, was ejected into the water. Despite not being the owner, such trials are a common practice in the boating world, when a prospective buyer or marine technician take out the boat to assess its condition and performance.
The Pinellas Sheriff's Office announced that they located Pataki's body, who was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Currently, the investigation into the exact cause of death is ongoing. Nevertheless, initial findings suggest that there was nothing suspicious behind the incident, and impairment did not seem to be a factor in the crash, as per the Sheriff's Office statement.
With next of kin notified, the law enforcement's inquiry into the accident is still active, as they piece together the events that led up to the crash.
