Friend of Quebec man killed in Florida boat explosion says his sister also injured

By Joe Bongiorno, The Canadian Press on December 28, 2024.

The charred remains of two boats are seen Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024, at Lauderdale Marina near the 15th Street Fisheries restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP

MONTREAL – A childhood friend of the Quebec man killed in a Florida boat explosion earlier this week says one of the victim’s sisters was among the other six passengers injured in the blast.

Thi Cam Nhung Lê says she grew up with Sebastien Gauthier in Quebec City and considered him her best friend.

Lê says Gauthier’s older sister was also on the boat in Florida’s Broward County when it exploded and she was taken to a hospital.

She says Gauthier’s family was in Florida to celebrate the holidays and that his sudden death feels “unimaginable.”

Video posted on social media Monday shows the vessel engulfed in flames following the explosion, with a thick column of black smoke billowing into the sky.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has confirmed that Gauthier died of his injuries, saying a preliminary investigation shows the 37-foot vessel exploded after its engines were started.

Lê remembers Gauthier as someone who was always smiling and says she is waiting for answers about what led to her friend’s death.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024.