Dean Ferry

KEY BISCAYNE, Florida (AP) -- Two boats collided during South Florida's annual Columbus Day regatta, killing one person, seriously or critically injuring seven and leaving one man missing, authorities said Sunday.

A boat with the nine people aboard was being towed by another boat Saturday night near the Rickenbacker Causeway between Miami and Key Biscayne when it was struck by a third vessel that apparently came from behind, said Jorge Pino, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

A young adult male was missing, and authorities were searching for him, Pino said.( Watch rescuers assist the victims -- :57 )

Another vessel being towed behind the boat that was struck escaped harm, Pino said.

Monica Burguera, 20, a college student from Miami, was killed. Four people were in critical condition and three others were in serious condition when they were taken to hospitals, Pino said.

Hundreds of boaters were on the water this weekend for the regatta.

Just so sad!
Dean

CigDaze

Damn.

itilldo

Its just terrible ...how in the world can you run in the back of someone towing another boat?

Tricky919

I was thinking the same thing.....

CigDaze

Night. Speed. Stupidity.

cuda

And alcohol most likely.

CigDaze

Yep.

berns29scarab

these kinda threads turn my stomach

lil

I passed all three of these boats a few minutes before the accident and there were no lights on any of the boats.

CigDaze

No lights.
Well, there's the stupidity part of the equation.