A jet ski collision with a boat off Tierra Verde on Saturday night left one rider critically injured in the water, and it took a stranger jumping in to keep him alive until help arrived. Mark Sindyukov was aboard a separate boat nearby when his captain spotted the crash and called for his help.
The collision happened just after 7 p.m. near 8th Avenue North in Tierra Verde, Florida, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. As reported by WFLA, Sindyukov jumped into the water and swam toward the injured jet skier, supporting the man's head to keep him above the surface. Another jet skier in the area also helped get the victim closer to the boat, and two of Sindyukov's colleagues helped pull him aboard.
Keeping the Victim Conscious in the Water
Once in the water, Sindyukov worked to keep the injured rider conscious, according to the same account. A medical professional on the phone instructed him to keep the victim talking while a 911 call was placed, and when the man could no longer speak, Sindyukov used eye blinks to get yes-or-no answers from him.
Paramedics later told Sindyukov that the jet skier would have drowned without that intervention, per the station's report. Deputies said the man was in critical but stable condition as of Sunday.
What Investigators Have Ruled Out So Far
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office believes impairment was not a factor in the crash, and investigators also believe speed did not play a role, shifting attention toward situational awareness and the chaotic seconds after the collision. Neither the identity of the jet skier nor further details of how the crash unfolded have been released.
Sindyukov, reflecting on the rescue, urged others to look out for strangers in trouble and to be willing to step in when needed. It's a message that lands heavier given how frequently these waterways see this kind of emergency.
A Dangerous Stretch of Water Near Fort De Soto
The waters around Tierra Verde are known for tricky navigation, with shallow sandbars in Pass-a-Grille Pass and Bunces Pass and motorboat-restricted zones inside Shell Key Preserve creating added risk for boaters and personal watercraft riders alike. This is also the same general area where, just a week earlier, a 41-year-old Utah man died after being struck by lightning while riding a personal watercraft off Fort De Soto Park.
Statewide, personal watercraft were involved in 161 reportable boating accidents in Florida in 2025, according to CBS News, accounting for about 23 percent of all reportable crashes statewide, with 72 of those involving collisions with another vessel. Pinellas County itself ranked fourth statewide in boating incidents in 2024, logging 42 reportable crashes, three fatalities, and 18 injuries, per data compiled by Boating Lessons.
Rules Governing Personal Watercraft in Florida
State law places specific restrictions on personal watercraft that don't apply to other boats. Florida Statute § 327.39 bars operation between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise regardless of navigation lights, and it requires operators to keep the engine cutoff lanyard attached to their body or life jacket whenever the craft is moving. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules also require all riders to wear non-inflatable, Coast Guard-approved life jackets at all times.
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 must complete an approved boating safety course and carry a boater safety ID card when operating a motorized vessel of 10 horsepower or more, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. Local enforcement has kept close tabs on personal watercraft activity in the county, documenting roughly 80 jet ski-related incidents between January 2022 and April 2026, including unauthorized launches, speeding, and swim-zone violations.
