A damaged boat washed up on Naples Beach overnight, drawing in police, city workers, and curious beachgoers after a late-night emergency in the Gulf.
The captain of the boat called dispatch late Monday night from about three miles offshore, according to Naples Police and TowBoat USA. The captain claimed they had hit “something” and was quickly taking on water. He managed to steer the boat to 4th Avenue North in Naples, where it ultimately sank.
By Tuesday morning, the hull of the vessel was completely ripped apart. The 4th Avenue North beach access point was shut down and declared a “debris field” as Naples Police, Beach Patrol, TowBoatUS, and city crews began the cleanup.
“We originally thought that the boat might have broke off a mooring line or someone’s dock or something with these high winds,” said Michael Hogue, a Naples resident who stopped to help.
Crews spent hours trying to clear sand from around the wreckage, battling gusty winds and waves pushing more debris onto the beach.
“When you hit the beach there’s so much sand it slows it down — and you get the waves,” Hogue said. “It’s not a good situation. No, no. Not at all, said Hogue.
Police say no one was injured in the incident. The cleanup is expected to take all day.