Nocatee, FL (January 7, 2026) – Authorities are investigating a serious airboat collision that occurred Tuesday afternoon on the Peace River near the Deep Creek Park Public Boat Ramp, south of Arcadia. The crash, which involved multiple passengers and at least two boats, left several people injured and resulted in one person being airlifted to a trauma center.
According to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office and witness reports, the crash happened around 4:00 p.m. as an airboat carrying several people, including Kaitlynn Wright and her family, was returning to a nearby ramp near the Nav-A-Gator Bar and Grill. As they rounded a corner along the river, another boat allegedly approached at speed and failed to slow down or alter its path, colliding with the airboat Wright was aboard.
Wright told reporters that her boat had already moved to the side of the channel to avoid a collision, but was struck regardless. “We were trying to move out of the way… and they just kept coming,” she said. “It was really bad.”
Her mother suffered broken ribs and was transported to the hospital. Another passenger on her boat sustained significant bruising. A woman on the other boat was reportedly life-flighted from the scene due to the severity of her injuries.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) also responded to the crash and is assisting the U.S. Coast Guard in the investigation.
