Florida Boat Owner Seeks Exoneration from Liability After Rough Wave Incident Injures Passengers in St. Lucie Inlet
A maritime petition has been filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida involving a recreational boating excursion that resulted in passenger injuries. The action, filed under Case No. 2:26-cv-14378-AMC in the Fort Pierce Division, was brought by vessel owner John McCarthy regarding an incident aboard his thirty-two foot Donzi motorboat. McCarthy is petitioning under federal maritime statutes for exoneration from or limitation of liability following an encounter with unexpectedly severe ocean conditions along the Atlantic coast.
Donzi Motor Vessel Traverses St. Lucie Inlet Before Encountering Unforecasted Ten to Fifteen Foot Waves
The underlying incident took place on March 26, 2026, as the Donzi vessel departed its home berth for a scheduled recreational offshore fishing trip in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the court filing, the vessel operator reviewed weather forecasts prior to setting out on the voyage. While navigating through the navigable waters of the St. Lucie Inlet toward the ocean, the vessel encountered two rogue swells measuring approximately ten to fifteen feet in height. These waves were reportedly much larger than what had been predicted in the marine forecasts consulted before departure. The sudden impact and violent movement caused by the heavy seas resulted in injuries to two guests who were on board the vessel for the voyage.
Injured Passengers Give Notice of Maritime Claims Following St. Lucie Inlet Boating Accident
Following the severe wave impact, two passengers on board the vessel, identified in court records as Mark Naro and Sarah Huff, reported sustaining physical injuries. On April 29, 2026, legal counsel representing Sarah Huff served the boat owner with formal written notice of an intent to pursue legal claims for damages arising from the incident. Because the outing occurred upon navigable waterways and involved personal injuries sustained by passengers aboard a seagoing craft, the matter falls squarely under federal admiralty jurisdiction. The prospective claims prompted the vessel owner to invoke federal maritime statutory protections before civil lawsuits were formally filed against him in state or federal court.
Vessel Owner Petitions Federal Court Under Maritime Law for Limitation of Liability to Sixty-Five Thousand Dollars
In response to the injury claims, the vessel owner initiated a defensive limitation action pursuant to Title 46 of the United States Code. Under long-standing federal admiralty law, a boat owner may petition for complete exoneration by demonstrating that an incident occurred without any negligence or lack of due care on their part. In the alternative, if liability is found, the owner seeks to cap financial exposure strictly to the post-casualty value of the vessel, provided the underlying conditions were outside the owner’s personal privity or knowledge. In this filing, the owner asserts that the vessel’s fair market value immediately after the wave impact was sixty-five thousand dollars, offering to post security with the court in that exact amount plus interest.
Federal Injunction Sought to Stay Lawsuits and Consolidate Passenger Injury Claims in Southern District of Florida
As part of the admiralty proceeding, the vessel owner is asking the federal court to issue an order enjoining all outside litigation and barring the injured passengers from pursuing independent state court actions. Under Supplemental Admiralty Rule F, the filing of an approved limitation bond triggers an automatic injunction, forcing all injured parties to file their formal claims exclusively before the presiding federal judge within a court-mandated deadline. Any claimant who fails to submit proof of their personal injury claim within the specified timeframe would be permanently barred from recovering compensation. The federal court will now determine whether the boat operator exercised reasonable nautical prudence when navigating the inlet or whether the injured guests may challenge the owner’s right to limit financial recovery.
Contact a Florida Boat Passenger Injury Lawyer Today if You Were Hurt on Navigable Waterways
Passengers who sustain severe harm during offshore fishing charters, private boat trips, or commercial maritime excursions face a unique set of federal statutes and procedural deadlines. Vessel owners frequently utilize limitation actions to drastically cap available financial recoveries, forcing injured parties into federal court under tight timetables. Understanding maritime jurisdiction, navigational duties of care, and limitation defenses is critical for anyone pursuing fair compensation following a boating accident. If you or someone you care about was hurt on the water due to vessel navigation errors, severe sea handling, or unsafe operating practices, reach out to an experienced maritime attorney to evaluate your legal options.
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Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.
