Man in Wheelchair Falls into Water After Boat Ramp Collapses in Terrifying Video

A terrifying moment unfolded at a Florida marina when a wheelchair-bound man plunged into the water after a boat ramp suddenly collapsed beneath him.

The frightening incident happened Sunday, March 8, at Marina Cay Marina in Stuart, along Florida’s east coast, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities say the man, who is in his 30s and unable to move his arms or legs, was being pushed onto a boat by his father using a ramp that connected the vessel to the dock. But as they were making their way across, the platform unexpectedly gave way.

The man fell into the waters of Manatee Pocket while still strapped into his wheelchair.

Two nearby bystanders immediately rushed to help. Officials said they managed to keep the wheelchair steady while holding the man’s face above the water as he slowly began slipping from the chair.

Deputy Mark Appler, a diver with the Martin County Fire Rescue Maritime Response Team, was among the first emergency responders to arrive at the scene.

“A little awe and shock at first, where you realize this is for real,” Appler later said. “We need to act.”

Rescuers initially planned to attach a rope to the wheelchair and pull both the man and the chair out of the water. But they quickly realized the plan wasn’t safe.

According to Appler, the harness securing the man in the chair began tightening around his neck as they attempted the lift.

“The top harness that he had was still holding him in and kind of started to choke him a little bit,” Appler explained. “So we lowered him back to the water level to reassess our next approach.”

Moments later, Deputy Sam Oliver arrived and didn’t hesitate. Seeing how urgent the situation was, he jumped straight into the water to help.

“With him not being able to speak to us, to articulate how he was feeling, we knew urgency was the best route there,” Oliver said.

After quickly evaluating the situation, deputies and rescue crews decided the safest option was to disconnect the man from the wheelchair and swim him to shore.

Using a life vest for support, Oliver carefully freed the man and guided him safely back to land.

Thankfully, the victim survived the ordeal and suffered only minor injuries, officials said.

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For the rescuers, the dramatic moment was a reminder that emergencies can happen at any time.

“Always be prepared,” Appler said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”