Man dies after suffering medical emergency, crashing boat in Cape May

CAPE MAY - A 67-year-old Florida man died after he suffered a medical emergency that caused him to crash his boat into a Cape May marina, NJ State Police said Tuesday.

According to Sgt. First Class Gregory Williams, the 58-foot vessel, a Sea Ray named "U N I" was traveling through the Canyon Club Marina in Cape May on Friday at 10:12 a.m. when the boat's operator, Gilbert Justin Jr. of Cortez, Fla. suffered a medical emergency. Lower Township Police say the boat was traveling slowly when the operator attempted to steer the vessel into an empty slip in the dock, but the bow ended up on the dock, police said.

"The forward momentum pushed the bow of the vessel on top of 'A' dock where the vessel came to a rest with the stern sitting low in the water.  Luckily there were no injuries to any persons on the dock," Lower Township Police said in a statement.

The man's wife  - who was the sole passenger on the boat - began yelling for help as witnesses boarded the vessel and administered CPR, authorities said.

"Several witnesses on scene quickly reacted by jumping on board the vessel and turned off the engines," Lower Township Police said.

Williams said the boat was fully equipped with medical gear including oxygen and a defibrillator. EMS crews then arrived at the marina and transported the victim to Cape Regional Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to police.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.

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