Three friends were cruising on personal watercraft — and one was killed, police said
A 26-year-old Philadelphia man was killed Christmas Day on the waters off the Florida Keys after the rented personal watercraft he was driving was struck by one his friend was on, police said.
Prapanna Prayank was found face down in the ocean off Marathon after the crash and never regained consciousness, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Prayank and Raj Rohit, 26, of Irving, Texas, were cruising on 2018 Yamaha PWCs at about 4:44 p.m. on the oceanside of the Seven Mile Bridge when Rohit went to make a U-turn.
Rohit made the turn “without maintaining a proper lookout,” the the agency’s report states.
The left front side of Rohit’s water bike collided with the right side near the front of Prayank’s vessel, wildlife officers said.
Both men were ejected.
Rohit was not injured in the crash, FWC said. A third friend was riding his own rented craft at the time but was not involved in the crash.
Alcohol was not a factor in the crash, Fish and Wildlife said.
No arrests had been made Thursday morning but the investigation is ongoing.
The men had rented the personal water craft from Z Water Adventures in Marathon, Fish and Wildlife said. Both were seized by police as part of the investigation.
This story was originally published December 26, 2019 at 12:56 PM with the headline "Three friends were cruising on personal watercraft — and one was killed, police said."
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