3rd lawsuit filed in connection with crash near Port Miami – NBC 6 South Florida

A new lawsuit has been filed against the companies involved in a terrifying boat crash near Port Miami last month, which left more than a dozen people injured.       

Stephanie and Matthew Camarato were on board the Thriller tour boat on Feb. 11 when a 43-foot charter boat, the Obelix, crashed into them.

“Everybody’s having a good time one minute,” said attorney Jack Hickey. “The next minute their lives are shattered, changed forever.”

Hickey is representing the Camaratos. They allege in a lawsuit that Stephanie, a mother of four, was struck in the head, leaving her with life-threatening injuries.

“Stephanie Camarato is by far the most seriously injured passenger and person involved in that horrendous crash,” Hickey said.

According to the lawsuit, her husband Matthew also suffered head injuries, a severely dislocated shoulder, and fractured ribs.

“We have, you know, we have these two vessels which are obviously on a collision course,” Hickey said. “And neither of them neither of them does anything.”

The lawsuit claims both boats engaged in “excessive speed and dangerous maneuvering to give thrills to passengers on board… and … neither vessel maintained a proper lookout.”

NBC6 Investigators asked Thriller Miami about the lawsuit. An attorney for the company provided the following statement:

Thriller Miami, LLC, a family owned and operated company that is proud to call Miami home, is deeply saddened and shocked by the accident on February 11, 2024., which has affected both our passengers as well as crew and our own families.  First and foremost, we wish for the speedy and complete recovery of the passengers who were injured.  Thriller Miami has been in business for over 18 years, and this is the first time an incident like this has occurred which is a testament to our commitment to prioritize customer safety.  We understand that there is a lot of speculation and curiosity about the accident, but we ask everyone to refrain from making any assumptions until all the facts are established.  We thank the U.S. Coast Guard, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Miami Fire Rescue boats and all others who responded so quickly.  We trust that the investigators will conduct a thorough and fair inquiry and out of respect for that process, we will not comment on their investigation or our understanding as to how this incident occurred until it is appropriate to do so.  We appreciate your continuing patience and support through this challenging situation.

“Sadly, incidents and accidents do happen on the water in general,” said Jesus Porrata, the lead marine investigator for the United States Coast Guard in Miami, the agency looking into what happened.

“The only thing I can say at this point, the matter is still under investigation,” he added. “But obviously something went wrong that day.”

NBC6 Investigators rode along with a crew from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Fireboat 73, which responds to incidents out of Port Miami.

“We happen to live in paradise, and paradise can change in an instant,” said MDFR firefighter Rob Johnson. “It takes merely seconds…and things can go to hell in a handbasket very, very quickly.”

New video captured the moments before two boats crashed near PortMiami earlier this month injuring 13 people.

The area where the crash happened is known as Fisherman’s Channel—east of downtown Miami’s Bayside near Port Miami. It’s an area often congested area with various speed zones and ever-changing conditions above and below the water’s surface.

“What complicates this area here is you have Bayside area, Miami Beach Marina down that way,” said MDFR firefighter Nick DiGiacomo. “You have multiple marinas, and that’s sort of like the intersection.”

First responders warn conditions and speed zones change based on a boat’s location, and it’s critical to be aware and boat responsibly.

“We talk about rules of the road and boating according to your conditions,” Johnson explained. “If you’re in a congested environment, we obviously slow down and exercise, due caution.”

The Camarato’s is the third lawsuit filed in connection with the crash. Meanwhile, Stephanie Camarato remains hospitalized in South Florida, far from her family in Illinois and fighting for her life.

“That’s over a month at Jackson Memorial Hospital,” Hickey said. “She’s still being treated as a trauma patient there.”

The Coast Guard said they are investigating whether the Obelix was operating an illegal charter. A representative of Midnight Sun Charters, which owns the boat, told NBC6 Investigators the captain was properly licensed but was not carrying his credentials at the time. An attorney representing the company said he was not able to comment on the pending lawsuit.