Unmanned shrimp boat washes ashore on Florida beach, puzzling investigators

Florida beachgoers received an improbable visitant aft an unmanned alloy washed ashore past weekend.

A 50-foot shrimp boat named “Miss Montie” ran aground connected Beverly Beach, located astir 3 miles northbound of Flagler Beach connected Florida’s eastbound coast, connected Sunday evening, according to nan Flagler Beach Fire Department. 

Authorities responding to nan segment of nan beached alloy were initially incapable to make interaction pinch nan crew, the section said in a societal media post. 

The Flagler Beach Fire Department did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment. 

Upon contacting nan US Coast Guard, officials learned nan unit was, successful fact, accounted for and had been removed from nan vessel anterior to Sunday, Coast Guard Marine Science Technician Brandan Blackwell, who responded to nan scene, told nan Daytona Beach News-Journal.

“We are conscionable making judge that everything looks for illustration it’s buttoned up, nan alloy is still upright, it’s not capsizing aliases anything,” Blackwell said.

“It’s a alloy hull, truthful it shouldn’t autumn isolated overnight aliases thing crazy for illustration that.”

The vessel mislaid powerfulness connected Friday night, Corey Thomas, nan skipper of Miss Montie, told nan News-Journal. 

Thomas reportedly called nan Coast Guard aft realizing his spare anchor would not clasp nan ship’s weight. 

“I didn’t want to time off nan vessel drifting,” Thomas said.”

The [Coast Guard] told maine they couldn’t tow me. And I couldn’t understand why they couldn’t tow me. They told maine it was excessively dangerous.”

Thomas was not instantly disposable for Fox News Digital’s petition for comment. 

The Coast Guard reportedly took Thomas and his unit to shore, wherever Thomas recovered a vessel proprietor consenting to tow his shrimp boat.

However, Miss Montie had drifted 8 miles successful 3 hours, and nan waves were excessively unsmooth for nan vessel to beryllium towed, nan News-Journal reported.  

Thomas attempted to usage a 2nd anchor to clasp nan boat, but nan statement broke. The adjacent day, Miss Montie arrived connected nan shores of Beverly Beach. 

“And present she sits,” Thomas said. 

The vessel was searched and subsequently handed complete to local rule enforcement. Thomas reportedly hired a larger shrimp vessel to haul it disconnected nan beach, telling Fox News Digital he was being towed to St. Augustine.

The Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment.