Man ejected from yacht dies in Gulf

BRADENTON BEACH --

A Sarasota man died in a boating accident in open waters in the Gulf of Mexico off Bradenton Beach on Sunday afternoon.

Henry Ogden, of 5650 Bentgrass Drive in Sarasota, was thrown from the bow of a 42-foot yacht carrying eight people and he was run over, according to Gary Morse, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife.

"Approximately 4 p.m. this afternoon, there was a 42-foot cruiser operating out in the Gulf of Mexico with eight passengers on board that was involved in jumping boat wakes," said Lt. Jon Dobbs of Florida Fish & Wildlife. "One of the passengers was ejected out of the vessel and impacted by the vessel."

The man suffered "severe lacerations," according to Morse said.

An investigation into the accident is ongoing, Dobbs said.

"Our investigators right now are looking into such factors as seeing the condition of the operator of the vessel, was he impaired or taking alcohol," Dobbs said. "All of the witnesses on the vessel are being interviewed at this time."

The man was retrieved and brought back to a dock at Leffis Key on the bay side of Bradenton Beach.

Longboat Key Police officers were the first to the dock, and a witness said she saw them trying to resuscitate the man.

"I believe the Longboat Key Police Department transported the victim to shore," Dobbs said.

People were asked to leave the dock area because of the situation, the eyewitness said.

In some circumstances, jumping boat wakes can be dangerous if the boat is traveling at high rates of speed in rough waters, Dobbs said. It can be considered reckless boating in some circumstances, he said.

"All of the passengers are obviously shaken up because they lost one of the persons on board," Dobbs said.

After 17 years in the Florida Fish & Wildlife, Dobbs said one of the most difficult parts of his job is notifying family that a relative has been killed out on the water.

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