Wave flips kayak, killing 1 and leaving another clinging to pylon, Florida cops say

A 32-year-old woman was found dead one day after the wake from a large boat flipped her kayak in West Florida’s Destin Harbor, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Her companion in the kayak was rescued after being found clinging to a pylon, the sheriff’s office said in a Sunday, Feb. 12, news release.

The deceased woman was identified as Bethany Newman of Destin by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The incident happened Feb. 11 in waters about 45 miles east of Pensacola.

“At approximately 6:15 pm, a green kayak was overturned by the wake from a large boat in Destin Harbor behind Gilligan’s Watersports,” the sheriff’s office reports.

“The current was moving east. Two people were on the kayak when it overturned. One person was recovered at approximately 9 p.m. holding onto a pylon behind Harbor Docks (restaurant).”

The survivor was found by a good Samaritan and “transported by EMS to a local hospital where he was treated for his injuries,” FWC reports. His identity was not released.

Investigators announced the body recovery early Feb. 12, but did not release details of where it was found.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the incident.

Newman is an Oklahoma native, according to her Facebook page. She had moved to the area only days before her death, the page reports.

This story was originally published February 13, 2023 at 6:24 AM with the headline "Wave flips kayak, killing 1 and leaving another clinging to pylon, Florida cops say."