A 33-year-old Coral Gables woman died after being thrown from a 27-foot boat and struck by the vessel in Biscayne Bay waters near West Point and Crandon Park Marina. Claudia Orellanes and 54-year-old Neil Schwabe of Coconut Grove were both ejected from their boat as it continued moving through the water, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials. The incident occurred Saturday morning, with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responding to the scene.
Video captured the aftermath of the accident, showing the boat spinning out of control in the water. Schwabe was airlifted to the hospital for treatment, while Orellanes was pulled from the water but did not survive her injuries. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating what caused the fatal crash.
Mayra Echevarria, Orellanes’ roommate of two years, remembered her friend as a dedicated worker who had moved to the United States three years ago from Cuba. “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 come to rely on.
“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,” Echevarria said. The roommate described struggling to process the sudden loss of her friend, who had become a constant presence in her daily life. Orellanes’ morning greetings and companionship with her dog were among the details Echevarria said she would remember most.
The emotional impact of losing her young roommate has left Echevarria unable to sleep properly. “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 shock of the accident has been particularly difficult for Echevarria to comprehend, given Orellanes’ age and character.
“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 roommate’s grief reflects the unexpected nature of the boating accident that claimed her friend’s life. Orellanes had established herself in South Florida after immigrating from Cuba, building a life centered around her work and daily routines.
Investigators continue working to determine the exact cause of the boating accident that resulted in both passengers being thrown into the water. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is leading the investigation into how the 27-foot vessel ejected its occupants before striking them. Officials are examining all factors that may have contributed to the fatal incident in the popular boating area near Crandon Park Marina.
Authorities are using the accident to remind boaters about essential safety precautions before heading onto the water. Investigators recommend that all passengers wear personal flotation devices and maintain proper safety equipment aboard their vessels. The investigation into the specific circumstances surrounding the fatal boating accident remains ongoing.