Two people were hospitalized after their van crashed through the front gate of a Fort Lauderdale marina and plunged into the water Sunday night, according to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue officials. The incident occurred in the 2300 block of West State Road 84 at Yacht Haven Park & Marina just after 7:45 p.m. Police were able to remove a man from the van who had injuries consistent with nearly drowning, while divers later pulled a woman from the submerged vehicle.
“I was sitting in my camper, and all of a sudden, I hear sirens start going,” said witness Liam Lenihan. “All of a sudden, boom, right through the gate, blew into pieces.” Lenihan witnessed several police cars following the van as it crashed through the marina’s front gate. “They came in flying - eight, nine cars came in,” he said.
Fire rescue officials said the man told crews there was a second person in the van, prompting divers to enter the water. “The guy got rescued out of the car, and they started CPR on him. He came back to life,” Lenihan said. “The girl, she didn’t get pulled out till 15, 20 minutes later.” Both victims were transported to Broward Health Medical Center for treatment, though their names and conditions were not released.
The dramatic rescue involved multiple emergency response units at the marina location. “State troopers, fire rescue, three ambulances all coming in to over here, and ladder trucks,” said witness Kristina Berggren. “It was just a lot of action going on.” Cellphone video from the scene showed yellow tape placed around the incident area, with patrol cars approaching the gated marina.
Lenihan described the crash as particularly shocking given the circumstances. “They drove into the back, into the water,” he said. “Just crazy, like, unbelievable.” The witness observed the emergency response from his nearby camper as law enforcement and Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue divers worked to reach the victims in the sinking van.
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies remained at the Yacht Haven Park & Marina scene for several hours investigating the crash. As for why the van ended up in the water, that’s still not clear, according to officials. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident continues, with authorities working to determine what led to the van crashing through the marina gate and into the canal.
The two people involved in the incident were both taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where their current conditions remain unknown as of Monday morning. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue confirmed that both victims nearly drowned in the Sunday night incident. The Broward Sheriff’s Office has not yet responded to requests for additional information as the investigation continues.