Boat explosion near Miami Beach injures 11, prompts mass-casualty response

A fast-moving emergency at one of Miami’s busiest boating hangouts quickly became a test of safety oversight in crowded waters, after 11 people were rushed to hospitals from a possible boat explosion near the Haulover Sandbar.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the incident unfolded Saturday, May 9, 2026, around 12:45 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. in Biscayne Bay off Miami Beach. Crews upgraded the response to a Level 2 Mass Casualty Incident as more patients were counted, and more than 25 fire-rescue units converged on the scene with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Coast Guard and Ocean Rescue. The scale of the response underscored how quickly a recreational outing can turn into a multi-agency rescue when a vessel fills with smoke, fire or blast injuries.

Witnesses described a violent scene. One said three people were thrown from the boat. Others reported severe burns, with victims carried away on stretchers after the blast. Officials said the cause remained under investigation and had not been confirmed as an explosion at the time of the first reports, leaving investigators to examine whether a fuel vapor buildup, a startup problem or another mechanical failure set off the emergency.

Among the injured was Adriana Rojas, who suffered second-degree burns on her legs, buttocks, chest, left arm and the left side of her body, her husband, Anthony Torres, said from Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. The extent of her injuries, along with the number of patients sent to multiple hospitals, pushed the incident beyond a routine marine rescue and into mass-casualty territory.

The boat was identified as Nauti Nabors, a 40-foot cabin cruiser from Sherman, Texas, that CBS Miami said was a charter vessel. NBC 6 South Florida identified it as a Sea Ray Express Cruiser with a legal capacity of 10 to 12 people, a detail that will likely be central as investigators review loading, ventilation and engine-start procedures. Witness and boat-captain accounts pointed to a possible gas leak or a startup issue, including the possibility that the engine was turned on before hatches were open or blowers were running.

The Haulover Sandbar, near Haulover Beach and Haulover Park, is a high-traffic party spot where dozens of boats can gather on weekends, amplifying both the risk and the scrutiny when something goes wrong. The episode now raises the larger question that follows many South Florida marine emergencies: whether enforcement, maintenance and basic safety practices are keeping pace with the region’s crowded boating culture.