SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Investigators have released the names of those involved in a fatal Seminole County airboat crash that happened Sunday night.
A day of boating turned tragic for a group of friends who decided to take their airboat out on Lake Jesup Sunday evening.
Two people were killed when the airboat crashed into an SR-417 bridge pillar in Lake Jesup shortly after 7 p.m., officials said.
"First units on the bridge found what was reported as an airboat up against some piling under the bridge. They had patients on the boat," said Seminole County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Sam Thurmond.
Several search and rescue boats remained on the water throughout the night searching for a missing man. His body was found late Monday morning, according to sheriff's officials.
"We ran a tow behind sonar that side scans and we are able to use that to identify certain features that we need to look at," said Lt. Byron Smith of the Florida Fish Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The men killed in the crash were identified as Mark Cruz, 51, of Mims, and Joel Arnold, 47, of Orlando. Officials said Cruz was the operator of the airboat.
Two other people injured in the crash, Vickie Cruz of Sorrento and Rhonda Silvia of Orlando, were transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment.
A third person at the scene, Leslie Ann Cruz, the wife of Mark Cruz, did not need medical attention according to officials.
Boaters said they were not surprised to find out about the wreck because approaching the bridge can be deceiving.
"I have seen several boats hit it and knock the side out of them. The bridge is sitting there at an angle [and] people try to go straight through it. They hit that second piling every time," said boater Gerald Young. "It's very easy to make a mistake, because I have almost done it a couple of times."
WFTV
