High winds send 30-foot sailboat crashing into Florida bridge, where it sinks

A sailboat that was too tall crashed into a Florida bridge that was too short and sank in Destin Harbor, state officials say.

It happened Thursday, April 13, near Destin, 45 miles east of Pensacola, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“Preliminary information indicates that, due to high winds, a sailboat anchored in Destin Harbor was blown into the Marler Bridge in Okaloosa County,” the commission told McClatchy News.

“The vessel has sunk outside of the main navigable channel. The FWC is conducting an investigation into the incident.”

A photo shared on Facebook by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office showed the 30-foot-long boat’s mast was too tall to pass under the 49-foot-tall bridge. The mast struck the bridge as traffic passed overhead.

“Yes, it is definitely a hazard, and yes the Coast Guard will be marking it with the buoy,” the sheriff’s office said in a release.

Among the witnesses was Gil Osterloh, who posted video on Facebook showing the boat appeared to be uncrewed as winds pushed it across the harbor. It is seen slamming directly into a pier, then spins around before becoming pinned to the bridge.

Gusts as high as 30 mph and breaking waves of 4 to 6 feet were forecast for the area.

The boat slowly took on water over a period of hours and flipped onto its side. Only the top of the mast remained visible after it sank, photos show.

Investigators did not report anyone was aboard.

This story was originally published April 13, 2023 at 3:31 PM with the headline "High winds send 30-foot sailboat crashing into Florida bridge, where it sinks."