Airboat overturns in the Everglades in western Miami-Dade – NBC 6 South Florida

Multiple people were rescued after an airboat overturned in the Florida Everglades in western Miami-Dade Friday.

The incident happened in the area of Coopertown, off Tamiami Trail.

Footage from Chopper 6 showed the airboat on its side in, partially submerged in water. Photos showed passengeers standing on top of the airboat waiting for help after it flipped.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said they received reports that people ended up in the water but said everyone was out of the water.

Some of the passengers said they were rescued about 10 minutes after the boat flipped.

“At first scary, my first thought was about my wife and family members and then I thought about the alligator that was nearby,” one passenger said.

One person was injured but wouldn’t need to be hospitalized, officials said. Others has scratches and walked away soaked in water but fortunately nothing worse, especially knowing alligators were close by.

Footage showed multiple fire rescue trucks at Coopertown, along with police.

One passenger said the airboat flipped when they tried to get a close look at a gator.

“So the driver tried to do a sharp u-turn to go see an alligator, he took the turn too sharp, some water went into the boat and it flipped over,” the passenger said.

No other information was immediately known.

Check back with NBC6 for updates.