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Teens Injured In Watercraft Accident

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By JAMIE PILARCZYK

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 24, 2008

TAMPA - Two teens riding a personal watercraft on Lake Egypt on Saturday afternoon are at St. Joseph's Hospital.

Around 1:30 p.m., the 13- and 14-year-olds ran the watercraft up under a dock, said Gary Morse, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

"They were going pretty fast and have severe injuries," Morse said.

While the boys were wearing life jackets, it is unknown whether they had the required boating safety course needed to operate personal watercraft. The accident remains under investigation.

Personal watercraft account for about 13 percent of the registered vessels in the state, but were involved in 24 percent of boating accidents and 21 percent of deaths in 2007, according to the commission.

Reporter Jamie Pilarczyk can be reached at (813) 835-2114 or jpilarczyk@tampatrib.com. Reporter Neil Johnson contributed to this story.

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