Wintertime HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — Authorities searched Sunday for two boaters who ended up missing and believed drowned in an accident on a central Florida lake in close proximity to the Legoland topic park.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said at a information meeting that the two men had jumped into Lake Eloise to conserve a third person from their team, a woman, who was struggling in the water. The gentlemen became separated from the boat and have not been noticed due to the fact Saturday night.
The 3rd person, 38-calendar year-aged Velcky Velazques, was rescued by sheriff’s deputies who had been summoned when a 10-year-old woman on the boat dialed 911 on a cellphone. That youngster and an 8-yr-previous lady remained on the boat as it drifted and were rescued safely and securely by the deputies, who had commandeered a fishing boat whose owner cooperated in the effort, Judd reported.
The lake, adjacent to Legoland in Winter season Haven, was tough on Saturday with 20 mph (32 kph) winds and some whitecaps, Judd claimed. He extra that the weather problems ended up compounded by inexperience on the section of the boaters, who had rented the vessel for an outing that working day.
The complications started when the Velazques jumped into the drinking water with an anchor, the sheriff claimed.
“She’s just very inexperienced, so she thinks you’re intended to get into the h2o, place the anchor in and then tie it to the boat,” Judd explained.
The missing males had been recognized as Orlando Ortiz, 32, who is Velazques’s boyfriend, and Jeffrey Marrero, 34, who is the father of the two girls. Judd mentioned the lookup will carry on applying sonar and underwater drones until they are uncovered.
“We do not allow anyone’s loved one particular to continue to be in the lake. We will obtain them,” Judd said.
Winter season Haven is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Tampa.
Legoland place out a statement Saturday expressing the incident “is not linked with us in any way.” It additional that a boardwalk at its lodge was staying used by officers as a command centre.
“Our views and prayers are with the relatives all through this difficult time,” the assertion stated.
The Fort Information