A 33-year-old Coral Gables woman died and a 54-year-old Coconut Grove man was hospitalized after they were thrown from their 27-foot boat and struck by their own vessel in Biscayne Bay Saturday morning. Claudia Orellanes and Neil Schwabe were on board when the incident occurred in waters near West Point and Crandon Park Marina, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials.
New video footage captured the aftermath of the deadly accident, showing the unmanned boat circling in the water before law enforcement officers intervened to stop the vessel. Schwabe was airlifted to a hospital for treatment, while Orellanes was pulled from the water but did not survive her injuries. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said both victims were struck by their own boat as it continued moving through the water after they were thrown overboard.
Mayra Echevarria, Orellanes’ roommate of two years, remembered her friend as a dedicated worker who had moved to the United States from Cuba three years ago. “She would wake up every morning at seven o’clock and drive to her work and she came back at 4:30 every day. She was a work person, a responsible person,” Echevarria said. Orellanes worked as an insurance agent and maintained a consistent daily routine that her roommate had grown accustomed to over their time living together.
The loss has deeply affected Echevarria, who described the emotional impact of losing her friend so suddenly. “I miss her a lot because she was always with her dog and she was always saying good morning. I miss her a lot in the morning. I will see her at the door. I miss Claudia,” she said. The roommate said she continues to struggle with processing the unexpected death of someone so young and vibrant.
Echevarria expressed her ongoing grief and disbelief over the tragic circumstances. “I don’t sleep well. It impacted me a lot. So young. How could she pass so fast, in one day? So young? She was a good person, a very good person,” she said. The roommate added that memories of their daily interactions continue to haunt her thoughts.
“I’m always thinking about her. When I would see her standing there. She would tell me ‘good morning.’ I never thought this could happen to a person like her,” Echevarria said. The woman described how the simple morning greetings between roommates had become a cherished memory following the sudden loss.
Investigators with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission continue working to determine what caused the boating accident that resulted in both victims being ejected from their vessel. Officials are urging boaters to take proper safety precautions before venturing onto the water as the investigation into the incident remains ongoing.