Scuba Diver Dragged by Boat, Flag Rule Violation Suspected

0:00It's April 7th. Tampa Bay News Today starts now, AI-powered and ready. A scuba diver off Venice Beach in Florida got dragged through the Gulf waters for about 60 yards after a boat's propeller snagged her dive flag. The whole scary moment was caught on video by her dive partner, showing her struggling to breathe as waves crashed in. This happened to Holtay, who owns a diving business called Abyss Explorers, in an area known as the Sharktooth Capital of the World. She was down below signaling her position with that bright flag, but the boater didn't slow down, pulling her along in rough seas. Folks were heated right after video captured a tense argument with the boaters, who offered zero apologies or help. Holtay said her life flasks before her eyes, choking on saltwater, with her regulator knocked out. Now, Florida Fish and Wildlife is digging into it. Checking if the boater broke rules that demand idle speed within 300 feet of a dive flag, in open water, or 100 feet in channels, divers got to stay close to their flags too.

1:02Holtay dodged worse, like the bins or lung damage, and she's pushing all boaters to hit safety courses and watch for those flags out there. It could. Save lives next time you're on the water.