Marine Thunderstorm Wind · Atlantic South

Two boaters aboard a 24-foot center console boat went missing after leaving from Port Canaveral on a fishing trip to the 8A Reef, located around 30 miles east of Port Canaveral. The two men were reported missing later that evening after they did not return to port. The Coast Guard searched for several days but never located the two individuals. At the time the boaters went missing scattered thunderstorms were moving across the east central Florida waters, producing wind gusts in excess of 35 knots and locally rough seas. While it is not know if the adverse weather conditions were fully responsible for this incident, the high winds and seas likely were at least contributing factors, presumably resulting in the deaths of the two boaters within the east central Florida coastal waters.

Scattered thunderstorms moved across the Brevard County coastal waters during the mid to late afternoon. Weather radar indicated wind gusts of 35 to 40 knots likely occurred with some of the storms. Two boaters went missing in this area at about the same time. After several days of searching, the boaters were not found. The strong winds and associated rough seas produced locally hazardous boating conditions, that likely contributed to a boating accident in which the two individuals presumably perished.