Florida
Authorities searching for people seen in viral video dumping trash in ocean
Boaters were caught on camera over the weekend dumping trash into the ocean off the coast of Boca Raton, Florida, prompting an investigation by Florida state law enforcement.
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said they have identified a group of young boaters who dumped trash right into south Florida waters.
“We know where the violation occurred,” said Tyson Matthews, Florida Fish and Wildlife Public Information Officer. “It’s just a matter of following through and applying the appropriate charges now.”
The video shows the group, boating in large swells, dumping two garbage cans full of trash in the ocean — and appearing to celebrate.
Drone video later captured the debris floating on top of the water.
“We’re upset. Our job is to protect Florida’s resources,” Matthews said.
Wavy Boats, the owner of the company that filmed the video that recorded the illegal act, said they spotted the boat leaving an event called “Boca Bash.”
The video captures the boat full of alleged minors engaging in underage drinking and eventually dumping all their trash into the ocean.
The police were notified immediately. The group then allegedly rejoined the party after dumping the trash in the ocean.
Florida Fish and Wildlife said that actions like these harm not only the environment, but the livelihoods of the local community.
“It’s littering. It’s polluting the environment,” Matthew said. “It can cause significant damage to our marine resources. There’s several levels of violations here.”
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FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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