MERRITT ISLAND — One person was injured Saturday night during a two-boat crash at the Merritt Island Christmas Boat Parade, officials said Sunday.
The collision happened at 8:38 p.m. along the 1500 block of Sykes Creek Drive, as boaters in decorated vessels passed through the canal area. A video of the incident shows someone in a corvette-style boat speeding off and crashing into another vessel yards away.
Crash at Merritt Island Christmas boat parade leaves one injured. FILE.
Brevard County Fire Rescue crews were called out to the canal following reports of multiple victims and a missing person following the crash, which turned out to be exaggerated. “Everyone was accounted for on arrival. One (person was) injured,” said Rachel Horst, spokesperson for Brevard Fire Rescue.
That person sustained minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital, officials said. No further information was available Sunday.
The Merritt Island Christmas Boat Parade, a mainstay of the holiday season that draws hundreds along the canal, began after sundown Saturday night. The parade — which always passes residents holding house parties and watching from alongside the canal — began at Sykes Creek Parkway Bridge and ended at SeaRay Drive.
Organizers did not immediately return calls. It was not immediately known if the boating incident was being investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s office or another agency.
J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. X, formerly known as Twitter: @JDGallop.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: One person injured in Merritt Island Christmas Boat Parade