Photo: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Two men are believed to have drowned in a boating accident on a lake near theLegolandtheme park in Florida, authorities said.
Marrero’s daughters, ages eight and 10, were alone on the vessel — a 16-foot Tahoe ski boat —when they were discovered, police said.
The lake is now set to be closed until their bodies are found, according to the Polk Couty Sheriff’s Office.
In a press conference after the incident, Sheriff Grady Judd said Velasquez was “just very inexperienced,” adding, “She thinks you’re supposed to get into the water, put the anchor in, and then tie it to the boat.”
Conditions on the water were rough, he noted, with two-foot white caps and 20 mph winds. Judd also described the two men who are believed to have drowned as “average swimmers.”
Together, the group raced to the scene, which is when they found Velasquez, and then rescued the two sisters, returning them to shore before beginning a larger search for the missing men.
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Judd said the young girls who called 911 had saved the woman’s life. “The children … are obviously upset because they saw all of this unfold right before their eyes,” he noted.
A search to find their bodies will include thePCSO Marine Unit and FWC using side scan sonar, and Seminole County deputies using their underwater drone, according to a police statement.
Lake Eloise is adjacent to the Legoland Florida Resort, but is not a part of the theme park. A statement from Legoland, shared with PEOPLE, said the incident “is not connected with us in any way” and officials were using a boardwalk at its hotel as a command center.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time,” the statement added.
source: people.com
