Video: Woman crushed to death between boat and bridge in Miami
Investigators are looking into the death of a woman who was crushed between her boat and concrete pilings underneath the MacArthur Causeway bridge in Miami.
Janette Africano, 35, suffered severe blue trauma to the head or body and died on Saturday afternoon after being rushed to the Jackson Memorial Hospital, according to the Miami Herald.
Authorities said Ms Africano and her husband had been pleasure boating just minutes before the accident, which happened at around 5pm local time.
The couple, who were travelling in an 18ft read and white boat, were approaching the MacArthur bridge, where there was a cruise ship making a turn ahead of them.
According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman, Jorge Pino, the couple decided to turn back north at that point, but the currents near the bridge were rough and they began drifting toward the pilings.
He said that Africano may have stood up and tried to stop the boat from colliding, but somehow it slammed into the piling, killing her, according to the Miami Herald.
He also said Ms Africano could have been trying to push the boat away from the wall, and slipped down in between them.
He said the cause of why the boat span out of control is under investigation, and that it doesn't appear alcohol was a factor.
He added: "We're looking at every possible cause, including mechanical failure and the experience of the driver."
According to the Miami CBS Local, Pino said her husband "did everything he could but unfortunately it just didn't work out".
Paramedics reportedly performed CPR for around 40 minutes before Ma Africano was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Pino told the paper: "I've seen many accidents here in my career with the FWC, but this is certainly something unusual.
"We want to get to the bottom of it and find out and learn from this accident maybe this will never have to happen again."
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