On Sundays, the Tropical Breeze Casino has three shuttle boat departure times to a casino ship about 45 minutes offshore of Port Richey, FL in international waters. The 3:30PM departure ended in disaster this past Sunday Jan. 14, 2018, as a fire quickly engulfed it around 4PM, sending passengers jumping overboard into the shallow Gulf on the chilly winter day. Luckily the shuttle boat was only 100 yards offshore and the passengers were able to wade to nearby homes for help.
According to the Tropical Breeze Casino, their shuttle is coast guard certified for a seating capacity of 149 passengers. Fifty-one were on board Sunday afternoon. Sadly, a 42 year old woman who had safely made it to shore along with the other passengers went home, fell ill and died late on Sunday shortly after being admitted to the Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point ER around 10PM. There has been no cause of death determined yet.
Online reviewers of the Tropical Breeze Casino say that the many of the usual patrons are elderly, but reports do not specify the ages of other passengers who had to make the 12-13 foot jump into the Gulf on Sunday. Many reviewers (unconfirmed past patrons) express safety concerns and relate engine problems experienced on the shuttle.
Reports state that on Sunday the shuttle was experiencing engine problems, turned around to head back to shore and then caught fire. Witnesses on shore from the nearby residential neighborhood describe the fire rapidly consuming the vessel as passengers leapt overboard. One witness told news media that he brought about 30 of the passengers into his garage to warm up, concerned about hypothermia.
Port Richey police say 15 people in all were injured in the fire. A Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point spokesman said eight were treated at the hospital (not including the fatality).
The joint rescue operation included the coast guard, sheriff’s office, police and other unspecified agencies.