Claudia Balmaseda Orellanes dies in fatal Biscayne Bay boating accident

Claudia Balmaseda Orellanes dies in fatal Biscayne Bay boating accident
Fatal Biscayne Bay boating accident death of Claudia Balmaseda Orellanes – Obituary

Claudia Balmaseda Orellanes, 33, of Coral Gables, died Saturday morning after a boating accident in Biscayne Bay, just north of Nixon Sandbar. Her passenger, 54-year-old Neil Schwab of Coconut Grove, survived and was hospitalized.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, both victims were thrown from a 27-foot boat for unknown reasons and were subsequently struck by the vessel as it spun out of control. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units recovered the pair from the water, but Balmaseda Orellanes could not be saved.

Witnesses captured video showing the unmanned boat circling in the bay, and a Jet Ski rider later located both individuals. FWC investigators are actively examining the circumstances surrounding the accident while Schwab continues to recover in the hospital.