Bodies of 2 Missing Fla. Boaters Found in Lake Near Legoland
Polk County Sheriff's Office
Authorities have recovered the bodies of two boaters who drowned in a lake near Florida's Legoland theme park over the weekend.
Orlando Ortiz, 30, and Jeffrey Marrero, 34, were located about 150 feet apart in Lake Eloise, the Polk County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Monday.
Marrero, Ortiz and his girlfriend, Velcky Velasquez, were aboard the 16-foot rented ski boat on Saturday evening — along with Marrero's 8-year-old and 10-year-old daughters — when Velasquez jumped into the lake with the boat's anchor to secure the vessel.
When the boat began to float away "due to the wind and heavy chop to the water," the men jumped into the water in an effort to save Velasquez.
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The 38-year-old woman was later found safe treading water near the boat, after the young girls called 911. She told authorities that the men jumped into the water to help her, but they were not strong swimmers and ended up going under the water.
The girls were alone on the boat when they were discovered, police said.
In a press conference after the incident, Sheriff Grady Judd said Velasquez was "just very inexperienced," adding, "She thinks you're supposed to get into the water, put the anchor in, and then tie it to the boat."
Conditions on the water were rough, he noted, with two-foot white caps and 20 mph. winds. Judd also described the two men as "average swimmers."
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Deputies who responded to the 911 call placed by Marrero's daughters were helped by a man at the lake's edge who was launching his fishing boat.
Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of the incident, they said.
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"Once again, when you get into the water and the wind is blowing 20 mph and it's choppy, it's not a failure on the boat," the sheriff said Monday. "The only question that we have is why wasn't the rope already secured onto the boat?"
