Three dead, including nine-year-old, after boat swamps off Florida

[April 12, 2016]  By Karen Brooks
 
 (Reuters) - The bodies of three people, including a 9-year-old, were found on the southeast Florida coast on Monday after their boat was swamped in rough waters during a Sunday fishing trip, authorities said.

Jayden Jones, 9, his father Fernandez Jones, 51, and Will Bell died after Jones' 24-foot Sea Ray was hit by a tall wave on Sunday morning a few miles from shore near Stuart, Florida, Martin County Sheriff Will Snyder told Reuters. Bell's age was not available.

The lone survivor, Robert Stewart, 45, hung onto the boy for as long as he could before exhaustion and rough seas bested him, Snyder said.

Stewart was rescued Monday morning when he flagged down a Martin County Sheriff's Office helicopter on the beach a few miles from where the group had launched, Snyder said.

The child was still wearing his life jacket when his body was found, Snyder said. The adults' bodies did not have life jackets, but it was not clear if they were wearing them when the boat swamped, he said. Authorities also located the boat nearby.

The four were reported missing around 9:30 p.m. Sunday when they were late returning. The sheriff's office, the U.S. Coast Guard and other entities searched through the night, Coast Guard officials said.

"The seas were not our ally last night," Snyder said.

The surf was rough on Sunday, with eight-foot swells, and the Coast Guard had issued a small-craft advisory, Snyder said.

Stewart told authorities he hung onto the boat, which eventually floated to the beach during the night or early morning, Snyder said.

"He told us that he felt sand beneath his feet, it was dark, he hit the beach line and passed out," he said.

Fernandez Jones was an experienced boater who frequently went deep-sea fishing, Snyder said. "All it takes is one bad wave," he said.

The boat went out a few miles, stopped in 80-foot deep water around 8:30 a.m. local time (ET) and was swamped almost immediately, Snyder said. The elder Jones and Bell held onto the partially submerged boat for hours as it drifted before succumbing to exhaustion or exposure and letting go.

(Reporting by Karen Brooks in Fort Worth, Texas; Editing by Dan Grebler)

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