Florida cops believe they have uncovered the boat which fatally struck 15-year-old ballerina Ella Riley Adler while she was waterskiing near Miami at the weekend.
The boat driver fled the scene after the horrific collision at Key Biscayne on Saturday, prompting an urgent multi-agency search for the driver and vessel.
‘The boat is in our custody, and the owner is cooperating,’ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officer George Reynaud confirmed in a Facebook video – though the driver is still at large.
Officials didn’t immediately say where the boat was found or how it was located. It also wasn’t clear whether the owner of the vessel was the person who was operating it when the girl was hit.
According to the FWC, who are still investigating the crash, the teen was killed while out on the water celebrating with her friends, but was not actively water skiing when she was hit.
Florida cops believe they have uncovered the boat which fatally struck 15-year-old ballerina Ella Riley Adler while she was waterskiing in Miami at the weekend
Ella’s (center) devastated family described her as a ‘force of nature’ who ‘loved to dance’, and she was a celebrated local ballerina with the Miami City Ballet
Officials said the boater who struck and killed Ella fled the scene in a blue and white boat, and is still being sought by police
Pictured: the boat Adler is believed to have been on the water in on the day of the horror crash
Reynaud said she was in the water at the time ‘wearing a life vest’ with ‘ski boards still on her feet’ in the moments before the horror crash.
He described the vessel as ‘white to light blue in color, with blue or dark blue bottom paint.’ The boat likely had two wide board engines, he said, ‘but it could be up to four wide board engines based on different witness reports.’
Witnesses also described the hit-and-run craft as a center console boat with a light blue hull, multiple white outboard engines and blue bottom paint.
First responders told WSVN they arrived on the scene to find ‘a lot of blood in the water’ in the aftermath.
A total reward of up to $20,000 was being offered for information that leads to an arrest.
Tributes have poured in for the talented Florida teen after her tragic death, with her family saying that ‘when she walked into a room, everyone was drawn to her.’
Adler’s funeral was held on Monday morning at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach.
Florida cops believe they have uncovered the boat which fatally struck 15-year-old ballerina Ella Riley Adler while she was waterskiing in Miami
Ella was a celebrated local ballerina who was cast in performances of The Nutcracker, performing over 100 times for the Miami City Ballet
Ella (center), a talented ballerina, ‘radiated on stage’ and her family said she ‘belonged and thrived’ while performing
Tributes poured in for the Florida teen after her tragic death, as officials said that she was wearing her life jacket and celebrating a friend’s birthday
The talented teenager’s school said she ‘shined in our classrooms and on our stages’
The teenager was a high achiever, involved in many different organizations and clubs, including her school’s Jewish Student Association, the debate team and the Miami City Ballet.
‘Ella Adler was not just a beloved student and a magnificent dancer who graced our stage in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker; she was an integral part of our family,’ said Billy Zavelson, a spokesperson for the Miami City Ballet.
Rachel Rodriguez, the Head of School at Ransom Everglades, also shared the school community’s collective grief over Adler’s untimely death.
‘Our hearts are broken and our community has been devastated by this tragedy. Ella shined in our classrooms and on our stages,’ Rodriguez said.
‘In this time of unspeakable pain, we have been moved by the outpouring of kindness and compassion from the Ransom Everglades community.’
A fellow student, Myles Gilber, said Adler had lots of good friends. ‘I mean, I can’t even imagine the pain that they’re going through,’ Gilber said.
Gilber also called the boater who hit Adler and sped off ‘evil.’ ‘How can you not have a conscience to want to help the girl that you just hit with your boat?’ she said.