Woman killed, man injured in Biscayne Bay boat incident

Second fatal boating accident in the area in less than a week

Mar. 30, 2026 at 12:09pm

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A woman was killed and a man was injured when they were thrown from their boat in Biscayne Bay on Saturday morning. The incident occurred around 10:40 a.m. west of West Point, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The boat operator, 54-year-old Neil D. Schwabe, and 33-year-old Caludia Balmaseda Orellanes were ejected into the water and then hit by the unmanned vessel.

Why it matters

This is the second fatal boating incident in Biscayne Bay in less than a week, raising concerns about safety and oversight in the popular waterway. Biscayne Bay is a heavily trafficked area for recreational boating, and these incidents highlight the need for increased education, enforcement, and regulations to prevent future tragedies.

The details

According to the FWC, the 27-foot boat was operating in Biscayne Bay when the incident occurred. Schwabe was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center with a leg injury, while Balmaseda Orellanes was recovered dead from the water. The incident remains under investigation by the FWC, and no other details have been released.

  • The incident occurred around 10:40 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
  • This is the second fatal boating incident in Biscayne Bay in less than a week.

The players

Neil D. Schwabe

The 54-year-old boat operator from Coconut Grove who was injured in the incident.

Caludia Balmaseda Orellanes

The 33-year-old woman from Coral Gables who was killed in the incident.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

The state agency investigating the incident.

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What they’re saying

“We heard help, help, help, and when he started screaming for help, that is when we knew it was a serious situation.”

— Enzo Avelino, Witness

What’s next

Investigators are still searching for the vessel that fled the scene of the previous fatal boating incident in Biscayne Bay on March 25.

The takeaway

These tragic incidents in Biscayne Bay highlight the need for improved safety measures, increased enforcement, and better education for recreational boaters to prevent future accidents and loss of life in this heavily trafficked waterway.