Boating deaths in Florida rose 2005 to the highest number reported in 10 years.

2005 Fla. boating deaths highest in 10 years.
By Betsy Clayton Originally posted on April 24, 2006

Boating deaths in Florida rose 2005 to the highest number reported in 10 years, but Lee and Collier counties reported only one fatality each among their 74,000-plus registered boats. The majority of the increase was victims falling overboard, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s recently released 2005 Boating Accident Statistical Report.Eighty people lost their lives in 69 incidents last year, a 15 percent increase from 2004. “We are very concerned about the upward trend in boating fatalities,” said FWC Capt. Richard Moore, Florida’s boating law administrator. “Especially given the fact the vast majority of these are easily preventable.”Monroe County — home to the Florida Keys — reported the highest number of accidents and injuries. Boat wrecks totaled 120, with 49 injuries.Polk County reported the most deaths at eight.Lee County had 23 accidents among its 50,675 boats; Collier County had 21 accidents in its fleet of 24,072. Charlotte County, which ranked 16th statewide, had 13 accidents, none of which were deadly. The county has 22,548 boats.The full report is available at http://www.MyFWC.com